NFL boosts NBC, but CBS takes lead

CBS was the week’s most- watched network for the 12th time in the 17- weekold prime- time television season, despite NBC’s nearrecord viewership for its NFL coverage.

CBS had each of the four most- watched entertainment programs and the 11 most- watched scripted series between Jan. 11 and Sunday, averaging 10.56 million viewers, according to live-plus- same day f igures released Wednesday by Nielsen.

Here are the combined rankings for national prime- time network and cable television last week ( Jan. 11- 17) as compiled by Nielsen. They are based on the average number of people who watched a program from start to finish during its scheduled telecast or on a playback device the same day. Nielsen estimates there are 289 million potential viewers in the U. S. ages 2 and older. Viewership is listed in millions.

In a week when the Tuesday schedule was altered because of President Obama’s State of the Union address, NBC was second, averaging 9.63 million, followed by Fox, which averaged 4.19 million, and ABC, which averaged 3.87 million, fourth among the broadcast networks and fifth overall behind the cable all- sports network ESPN, which averaged 3.99 million.

CBS’ most- watched program was the news magazine “60 Minutes,” which averaged 20.62 million viewers, fifth overall, behind two football games and NFL pregame and postgame shows.

“60 Minutes” benefited from a 56- minute run- over of CBS’ coverage of the Denver- Pittsburgh NFL playoff game, which ended six minutes before the start of “60 Minutes” in the Eastern and Central time zones. CBS’ most- watched entertainment program was “The Big Bang Theory,” sixth overall averaging 15.75 million viewers, the only entertainment program averaging more than 12 million viewers.

The week’s mostwatched program was NBC’s coverage of Saturday’s overtime ArizonaGreen Bay NFL divisional playoff game, which averaged 33.73 million viewers.

The week’s mostwatched cable program was ESPN’s coverage of the College Football Playoff championship game, which averaged 25.67 million viewers, third for the week. Alabama’s 45- 40 victory over Clemson Jan. 11 was the sixth most- watched program in cable TV history.

The Republican presidential debate last Thursday on Fox Business Network averaged 11.09 million viewers, second among prime- time cable programs and ninth overall, topping Sunday’s Democratic presidential debate on NBC, which averaged 10.16 million viewers, 12th for the week.