NFL ratings through Week 7 are "down 5% overall from the same point last year," but they are down "significantly less than the rest of broadcast television," according to Frank Pallotta of CNN MONEY. The drop for the NFL is "troubling," but it seems "less dire when you consider that the four major networks are down an average 8% in prime time." NBC is down 4%, while CBS is down 6% and ABC is down 11%. Fox' prime time viewership "dropped 20% through the first month of the new TV season." Those numbers are down "despite the inclusion of live sporting events." The landscape has become "incredibly fragmented, thanks to a flood of programming and competition from streaming services and from the internet, not to mention a 24-hour news cycle that comes with a breathtaking amount of content." TV, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon are all "vying for the same eyeballs, and there are no signs that the deluge of programming will ebb any time soon." Magna Senior VP Brian Hughes, whose company monitors audience trends, said, "Last year when the ratings were down, it seemed like a shock. This year looks to be a part of a trend rather than a big disruption" (MONEY.CNN.com, 10/26).
STILL SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT: Comcast Chair & CEO Brian Roberts said there is "no way to not get excited by the NFL" despite the ratings downturn from last year. He said, "There are lots more choices, the world has changed and so does the NFL. ... But honestly, the ratings are getting better every week right now, and it's early in the season. We're down about 5% -- that's a lot lower than people originally thought. I think with each year, you're not growing audiences because you have too many new options." He said the league has "shown for a long time that they're at the best in sports at what they do." He said the acquisition of the "SNF" package was a "gamechanger for NBC years ago." Roberts: "It's the No. 1 show in television" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 10/26).
STOP THE PRESSES: In Baltimore, David Zurawik writes watching CBS' "TNF" crew of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo for Dolphins-Ravens was "pure pleasure." It is "easy to see" why Romo has been "getting such good press." He brings "force and energy to the telecast without being a hot dog like ESPN’s Jon Gruden." Romo "exudes a strong, quiet confidence in his analysis that makes it instantly credible." Zurawik: "I did not find one significant moment in what was a very long telecast where he was wrong." Meanwhile, CBS' replays were "superb all night." Zurawik: "I have not seen such synchronicity between images and words anywhere else on NFL or college coverage this season." Everyone on this CBS crew "seemed to be on his game and in sync" (Baltimore SUN, 10/27).
DIS-APPOINTMENT VIEWING?: In Miami, Greg Cote notes Thursday's game was the Dolphins' "first of three straight prime-time games -- a franchise first." But in their "embarrassing" 40-0 loss to the Ravens, the Dolphins "demonstrated they are not ready for the national stage, or any claim to being playoff caliber" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/27). NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON's Troy Machir wrote the game featured "bad football wrapped in more bad football, presented as appointment viewing on national television." This "wasn't a game worthy of national television." Machir: "This wasn't a game worthy of being played at all" (NBCSPORTS.com, 10/26).
