ESPN drew an 8.2 overnight rating for the Dolphins' 16-13 win over the Jets on "MNF" last night from 8:15-11:30pm ET, down 23% from a 10.6 overnight for the Seahawks' 34-7 win over the Saints in Week 13 last year. The rating also is down 29% from an 11.6 for Giants-Redskins in '12. The telecast last night peaked early (9:30-9:45pm) with a 9.3 rating in that window. The game drew a 17.7 local rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (14.0 on ESPN, 3.7 on WSFL-CW) and a 10.0 rating in N.Y. (7.0 on ESPN, 3.0 on WPIX-CW) (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
PAPER CUTS: In N.Y., Keith Kelly reports a total of 85 employees at the N.Y. Times volunteered for a buyout package by yesterday's 5:00pm deadline, "short of its goal of reaching 100 volunteers." Among those taking the buyout is "veteran TV reporter Bill Carter, who has been there 25 years." N.Y. Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Exec Editor Dean Baquet have warned that "involuntary cuts would take place just before Christmas" if the target was not reached (N.Y. POST, 12/2). Meanwhile, the Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons reports N.Y. Times hockey reporter Jeff Klein also has "accepted a buyout" (TWITTER.com, 12/2).
INSIDE INFORMATION: In Louisiana, John Marcase wrote ESPN and the SEC Network "struck it rich Saturday night" with its Finebaum Film Room, a supplement to coverage of the Auburn-Alabama game. The special included SEC Net's Paul Finebaum taking phone calls "throughout the night" from the "usual Alabama and Auburn fans that pepper" his daily radio show. However, what made it "great was hearing the analysts banter with each other and explain what was happening, what was going to happen (to great success) and why it happened" (THETOWNTALK.com, 12/1).
LIFE AFTER HOUSTON: In Houston, David Barron reported former CSN Houston anchor Kelli Johnson has "signed on as a reporter with CSN Bay Area," while Sebastian Salazar, the net's former soccer analyst, "has returned to CSN Mid-Atlantic." Additionally, former CSN Houston reporter and anchor Leila Rahimi "recently disclosed on Twitter that she is now anchoring SportsNet Central newscasts for CSN Philadelphia" (CHRON.com, 12/1).
