RATINGS: NBC RETURNS TO FIRST PLACE; FOX, TO LAST

Without the World Series altering the ratings picture as it did the previous week, things returned to normal, with NBC winning the week among the key 18-49 age group and CBS winning it among total adults. NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers) returned to first place with 18.13 million viewers, followed by CBS’s The Big Bang Theory with 16.56 million. A special, ABC’s coverage of the Country Music Association awards ceremony, came in close behind in third place with 16.25 million. With interest in election results boosting the number of viewers for the evening newscasts, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams saw its viewer tally rise 10 percent to 9.5 million. ABC World News Tonight with David Muir was up nearly 9 percent for the week with 8.8 million viewers, while the CBS Evening News also saw its numbers rise 9 percent to 7.2 million. For the week overall, CBS once again came out ahead with a 5.8 household rating and a 10 share. ABC placed second with a 5.3/9. NBC slipped to third place with a 4.8/8, while Fox trailed with a 2.6/4.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. Sunday Night Football, NBC, 10.6/17; 2. The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 9.8/16; 2. CMA Awards, ABC, 9.8/16; 4. Sunday Night Football Pre-Kickoff, NBC, 9.7/15; 5. Dancing with the Stars (Monday), ABC, 8.6/13; 6. Madam Secretary, CBS, 8.0/12; 7. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.6/12; 8. NCIS/Election Coverage, CBS, 7.4/12; 9. The Voice, NBC, 7.3/11; 10. Blue Bloods, CBS, 7.2/14.