Repeat @ #2, YIPPIE!!!!!

REPEAT @ #2, YIPPIE!!!!!

Release Date:

February 25, 2006

Press Release:

Tribune Media Services and AC Neilsen Ratings

LOS ANGELES, CA --- Fast National ratings for Friday, February 24, 2006

With figure skating -- the biggest audience generator of the Winter Olympics -- finished, NBC's ratings took a hit Friday, but they were still strong enough to win the night.

NBC averaged a 9.5 rating/16 share for the night. CBS was second at 6.1/10, although ABC, 5.8/10, had a slight edge in total viewers (9.12 million to CBS' 8.81 million). UPN, 2.8/5, finished fourth, beating out FOX, 2.1/4, and The WB, 2.0/3.

Among adults 18-49, NBC's 4.1 rating led the way. ABC took second in the demographic with a 2.9, and CBS was third at 2.5. UPN and The WB tied for fourth at 1.4. FOX's 1.2 trailed.

The Olympics posted an 8.9/16 for NBC at 8 p.m. A "Ghost Whisperer" rerun, 5.9/10, put CBS in second. "America's Funniest Home Videos" came in third with a 5.5/10. "Friday Night Smackdown!" was fourth for UPN. FOX got a 2.0/3 from a "24" repeat to beat The WB's "What I Like About You" and "Living with Fran."

At 9 p.m., coverage of speed skating, alpine skiing and the figure skating "champions' gala" scored a 10.3/16 for NBC. CBS held onto the No. 2 spot with "Close to Home," 6.2/10. A second hour of "Home Videos" was a couple of tenths back for ABC. "Smackdown!" averaged 2.9/5 for UPN. The WB moved up to fifth with "Reba," 2.6/4, and "Twins," 2.1/3, dropping FOX's second hour of "24" to sixth.

At 10 p.m., the Olympics slipped to 9.4/16. A "Numb3rs" repeat on CBS was second at 6.4/11, and ABC's "20/20" came in at 5.8/10. Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

Story: © 2006 Tribune Media Services and Nielsen Media Research, Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
Image: © 2005 Touchstone Television LLC - a Walt Disney Company and Paramount Pictures Corporation - a Viacom Company. All Rights Reserved.