Ratings News - 28th February 2011

Sunday 2/27/11
Note: The overnight data now includes DVR playback until 3 a.m. local time. One year earlier it was based on Live data only.

HH
Rtg/Shr
ABC 21.1/32
CBS 4.9/ 7
Fox 2.4/ 4
NBC 2.1/ 3

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Note: The fast affiliate results for Sunday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Sunday, February 9, 2011.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC), Oscar Red Carpet Special (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers:
Everything else

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-Ratings Breakdown:
It was all about ABC, of course, last night, with The 83rd Annual Academy Awards averaging a 25.6 rating/39 share in the overnights from 8:30 p.m. -11:30 p.m. Combined with the Oscar Red Carpet Special from 7-8:30 p.m. (13.2/22), ABC more than doubled the competing networks combined. While it did slip by seven percent from one year earlier (27.5/42 on March 7, 2010), the year of The King’s Speech was an improvement from both 2008 and 2009.

As a benchmark, here is the metered market tracking for The Academy Awards over the last decade (with the Best Film winner in parentheses):

2002: 29.8/46 (A Beautiful Life)
2003: 24.6/36 (Chicago)
2004: 28.7/42 (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
2005: 29.2/42 (Million Dollar Baby)
2006: 26.3/29 (Crash)
2007: 27.0/41 (The Departed)
2008: 20.8/32 (No Country for Old Men)
2009: 23.0/36 (Slumdog Millionaire)
2010: 27.5/42 (The Hurt Locker)
2011: 25.6/39 (The King’s Speech)

Keep in mind that last year’s performance translated into 41.7 million viewers with a 13.3/33 among adults 18-49. Updated ratings will be available later today.

Other than Best Supporting Actress winner Melissa Leo dropping the “F” bomb last night (and were we really all that shocked?), there were no surprises last night. The King’s Speech and Inception led the pack, with four wins each. But The King’s Speech was the standout with trophies for Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Director (Tom Hooper) and David Seidler for Best Original Screenplay, who was inspired to overcome his own stutter by King George, portrayed by Colin Firth in the film. The other acting wins -- Natalie Portman (Best Actress, The Swan) and Christian Bale (Supporting Actor, The Fighter) -- were easy to predict.

Bubbly co-host Anne Hathaway tired her best, but paired with awkward James Franco (which made no sense to begin with), the stage was set for a bland Oscars telecast last night. The opening montage was not funny, the quips throughout the show were lacking and Franco seemed just plain uncomfortable. Billy Crystal showing up later in the telecast only reminded us of how good he would have been back at the podium.

For a complete listing of the 83rd Annual Academy Award winners, click here:

http://oscar.go.com/nominations

CBS finished a very distant second in every half-hour with its combination of a repeat edition of 60 Minutes, themed 60 Minutes Presents (5.7/ 9), reality/competition The Amazing Race (4.8/ 7), a repeat of Undercover Boss (3.9/ 6) and CSI: Miami (5.2/ 9). Since The Amazing Race just returned last week, the network needed to keep whatever momentum it might have going, but you have to wonder why it wasted a repeat of CSI: Miami opposite The Oscars.

Fox traveled the repeat route with its animated line-up of The Simpsons (#4: 2.4/ 4), American Dad (#4: 2.0/ 3), the regularly scheduled edition of The Simpsons (#3: 2.8/ 4), recently introduced Bob’s Burgers (#3: 2.0/ 3) and a one-hour installment of Family Guy (#3: 2.6/ 4). And NBC populated the evening with Dateline at 7 p.m. (#3: 3.2/ 5), followed by…just what we needed!...three consecutive repeats of game show Minute to Win It at a mere 1.8/ 3 from 8-11 p.m.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Source: pifeedback