Primetime Ratings: CBS Wins With Hoops Lead-In

CBS won top spot in Sunday’s prime ratings, a sizzling March Madness hoops lead-in pacing the net to a 1.6 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 7 share. That easily beat the 1.0/4 that ABC tallied.

A thriller game between Duke and UCF led into prime on CBS. 60 Minutes did a noisy 3.5, miles up from last week’s 1.1, before God Friended Me went up 50% to 1.2 and NCIS: Los Angeles was a flat 0.9. Madam Secretary shot up 40% to 0.7.

On ABC, an America’s Funniest Home Videos repeat led into American Idol at 1.2 from 8 to 10 p.m. Shark Tank got a 0.8. Both shows lost a tenth of a point.

Fox got a 0.7/3 and NBC a 0.6/3.

Fox had The Simpsons at 0.8 and Bob’s Burgers at 0.9, both level with last week, then Family Guy grew 13% to 0.9. A Family Guy repeat closed out Fox’s prime.

On NBC, an Ellen’s Game of Games repeat led into World of Dance at a level 0.8 from 8 to 10. Good Girls went up a tenth for a 0.6.

Univision did a 0.4/2 and Telemundo a 0.3/1.

The CW scored a 0.2/1. Supergirl got a 0.3 and Charmed a 0.2, both shows flat. 

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.