Two Minute Drill: Berman To Interview Obama, McCain For "MNF"

Obama, McCain Will Appear Separately In Interviews Airing During "MNF"

ESPN during halftime of Monday’s Steelers-Redskins “MNF” game will air taped interviews with Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. ESPN’s Chris Berman will conduct the interviews earlier in the day via satellite from the net's Bristol studios, pending last-minute schedule changes (ESPN). The interviews will air "just hours before voters head to the polls" (ROLL CALL, 10/30).

"MNF" RATINGS: Through nine “MNF” telecasts, ESPN is averaging a 9.0 cable rating and 12.2 million viewers, up 2.3% and 7.7%, respectively, from an 8.8 rating and 11.3 million viewers through Week Eight last year. Monday’s Colts-Titans game, the first "MNF" game on ESPN airing up against the World Series, earned an 8.6 cable rating and 11.6 million viewers, down 18.1% and 17.2%, respectively, from a 10.5 rating and 14.0 million viewers for Packers-Broncos last year. “MNF” also won primetime for the night among broadcast and cable nets in adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. After beginning the season with three straight weeks of ratings and viewership gains from ’07, “MNF” has seen double-digit declines in three of the last four weeks (THE DAILY).

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: This past Sunday's late-window NFL telecast on Fox featuring Giants-Steelers earned a 13.8/27 final Nielsen rating (22.3 million viewers), up 7.0% from a 12.9/26 (20.5 million viewers) for Redskins-Patriots in the comparable late window on Fox last year. For the season, Fox is averaging a 13.7/27 rating (22.1 million viewers) for four late-window NFL telecasts, up 4.6% from a 13.1/26 for four telecasts through the same point last season. Fox also earned an 8.2/14 rating for "The OT" from 7:30-8:00pm ET on Sunday leading into Phillies-Rays World Series Game Four, up 49.1% from a 5.5/10 for "The OT" telecast which led into the clinching Red Sox-Rockies Game Four last year (THE DAILY).

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