NBC Wins Sunday Prime Despite Weak Olbermann Pre-Game
Fox, a frequent Sunday leader, finishes fourth
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/27/2007 7:16:00 AM MT
NBC won the 18-49 demo Sunday night with its coverage of the preseason intrastate rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. However, its tryout of Keith Olbermann in a pre-game edition of his MSNBC Countdown show was last among the Big Four in the 8-9 time period with a 1.3. NBC averaged a 2.7 rating/8 share in the demo for the night.
Olbermann said last week he expected it to be a one-shot deal unless it was a success with viewers and affiliates.
CBS was second with a 2/6, led by Big Brother's 2.8/8 at 8-9.
ABC was third with a 1.7/5. Its top show was a repeat of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition with a 2.2/6 at 8-9.
Fox, which is used to scoring on Sunday's with its sitcom lineup (particularly with repeats of Family Guy), was in fourth place, thanks to a 1.6/5 for its Teen Choice Awards, though that is likely to have a stronger appeal to the below-18 crowd.
The CW was a blink-and-you-missed-it .4/1 for repeats of Seventh Heaven and Pussycat Dolls.
