MARCH MADNESS LIFTS SATURDAY RATINGS

The NCAA basketball finals drew nearly 10 million viewers to their TV sets on Saturday, proving once again that if they’re given something worthwhile to watch, viewers will tune in en masse on a Saturday night the way they might on any other night of the week. While Saturday, which was once one of TV’s biggest ratings nights, has become the dumping ground for failed TV series, reruns, and the odd reality show, the March Madness telecast on CBS also drew a solid 3.4 rating and a 12 share among viewers 18-49, the age group advertisers like best. An overrun of Sunday’s NCAA game averaged 11.99 million viewers and produced a 2.9/9 in the 18-49 demo.