Although the Redskins are off the a 6-1 start, their local
TV ratings are down 24% from a similar point last year when the
team lost five of its first seven games, according to Leonard
Shapiro of the WASHINGTON POST. NFL officials and local and
national TV execs "don't have an explanation for the Redskins
decline in TV ratings." Gene McHugh, GM/WTTG-TV, Washington's
Fox affil, called the ratings drop "mysterious [but] ... it's
still among the highest-rated franchises in the country."
National NFL carriers have "taken issue" with the numbers being
provided by Nielsen Media Research and asked the company to look
into the matter. Fox Sports' Vince Wladika: "There are falloffs
in markets that are not what you'd consider a normal decline.
Frankly, we don't think [Nielsen is] sampling the right people."
Jack Loftus, Nielsen VP/Communications, said the company stands
by its numbers, but says Nielsen will reevaluate its system
because of network inquiries. The Redskins first six games aired
on WTTG averaged a 24.7/53 rating, down from a 32.6/62 from the
same number of games last year (WASHINGTON POST, 10/24).