Primetime Ratings: Celebrity Apprentice Tops March Madness
Reality Show Boosts NBC on Thursday Night
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/28/2008 12:16:00 PM
CBS' coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament led the first two hours of primetime, but it was no match for the second hour of NBC's two-hour finale of Celebrity Apprentice from 10 p.m.-11 p.m.
NBC wound up winning the night in the 18-49 demo thanks to that 4.9 rating/13 share for that second hour, which saw Piers Morgan win the Apprentice post (NBC won the night with a 4/11 in the demo).
CBS was second with a 3.8/10 for its basketball coverage, with the caveat that the number could change when the West Coast returns come in, where there was rooting interest for the UCLA and Washington State games, for example.
Fox was third with a 2.8/8, led by Don't Forget the Lyrics (3.1/8).
ABC was a distant fourth at a 1.9/5 for Miss Guided, its top show at a 2/6, as well as a repeat of Lost and a new Eli Stone at 10 p.m. (1.9/5).
The CW was fifth with a solid 1.4/4 for Smallville and Reaper, both of which averaged over a 1 rating.
