CABLE’S ESPN BEATS BROADCAST NETWORKS AGAIN

The two talent shows that aired Monday night on the broadcast networks posted some big numbers: 13.8 million viewers for ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and 10.5 million for NBC’s The Voice, but those numbers paled when compared with the 15.8 million who watched the Carolina Panther’s victory over the New England Patriots on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. The telecast not only beat every program on the broadcast networks when measured by total viewers, but it also was first among households, the key 18-49 age group, and total males. On Sunday, NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Kansas City at Denver) posted the highest ratings of the week with 26.9 million viewers, while three other football-related shows also made the top ten, each with more than 14 million viewers. Nevertheless, CBS retained the title of the most-watched network for the week with an average 6.1 rating and a 10 share. NBC placed second with a 5.3/9, followed by ABC with a 4.3/7 and Fox with a 3.7/6.