Preliminary overnight numbers show that NBC gained a 29.4
rating and a 47 share for last night's prime time coverage.
Monday's daytime coverage gained a 8.0/25, with late night
showing a 11.2/35. NOTE: As these numbers are preliminary, they
may not match later figures cited either by the network or other
news outlets (THE DAILY).
PUSHING RECORD LEVELS: Sunday night's prime-time earned a
23.4 national rating and a 43 share, the highest rated Sunday
prime time telecast for the Summer Games since the closing night
of L.A. '84, according to NBC. The rating was a 29% increase
from the second Sunday in Barcelona. NBC Research estimates that
103 million watched all or parts of the telecast -- the second
time NBC has gone over the 100 million mark in these Games.
Saturday night's 19.4/40 was up 6% over '92. The cumulative
Atlanta rating is a 22.5/42, a 21% improvement over Barcelona
through the second Sunday. Among women, NBC has gained a 14.5
among 18-34 (up 27% from '92), 16.4 from 25-54 (+20%), and 15.2
from 18-49 (+20%). Also, NBC's late night coverage is averaging
7.0/27, up 30% over '92; and the four weekend afternoon telecasts
have averaged a 12.3/35, up 6% from Barcelona (NBC Sports).
RATINGS REVIEWS: BROADCASTING & CABLE notes the "record-
breaking ratings indicate the network's $4 billion gamble is
paying off in a big way" (Rich Brown, B&C, 7/29). VARIETY calls
it a "stellar performance" that provides "a sigh of relief" to
the network for paying $4B for five of the next six Olympics.
While some male viewers "seemed impatient" with NBC's packaging
designed to women, "they watched anyway, as NBC had confidently
predicted" (Gary Levin, VARIETY, 7/27 issue). Arnie Semesky of
BBDO, which represents NBC sponsors Visa, Delta, et al.,: "We
couldn't be happier in terms of ratings" (USA TODAY, 7/30).
POSSIBLE BREATHER? USA TODAY's David Lieberman notes "the
worst may be over" for other nets. ABC, CBS and Fox has each
lost 14% to 23% of its audience during prime time. But CBS
researcher David Poltrack, noting that swimming and gymnastics
are weighted early: "The summer Olympics historically drop 20%
in the second week" (USA TODAY, 7/30).
