A survey of commercial-ratings projections for the '18-19 TV season found that media buyers "believe only a few top programs will build on audiences from last year" and among the "programs they are betting on" is Fox' “TNF” package, according to Brian Steinberg of VARIETY. Media buyers "predict so-called 'commercial viewing'" -- or C3 -- will "fail to match live-viewing totals from last season for top-draw programming," including NBC's "SNF."
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NETWORK
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SHOW
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C3 A18-49 RATING
(
'18-19 PROJECTION )
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LIVE A18-49 RATING
('17-18 TV SEASON)
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NBC
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"SNF"
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5.79
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6.2
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Fox
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"TNF"
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4.6
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4.5*/4.0**
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Fox
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"The OT"
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3.8
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3.8
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NBC
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"Football Night In America"
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3.3
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4.3
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NOTE: * = Rating from CBS/NFL Network; ** = Rating from NBC/NFL Network
“TNF” has a singular circumstance that "could help drive projected gains" as it is "about to start a new run under a five-year pact struck between the NFL and Fox." The league for the past two seasons "divvied up a run of Thursday-night games between CBS and NBC -- and the match-ups were of lesser quality when compared to Sunday and Monday matches airing on CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN." The average audience for an NFL game broadcast during the '17 season came to 14.9 million viewers -- a dip of 9.7% compared to '16 '16 (VARIETY.com, 9/5).
