WDIV-TV Local 4 Delivers GOLD MEDAL Ratings

DETROIT, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- WDIV-TV won handily in early evening news at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., late news at 11 p.m., and primetime coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in the February 2010 Nielsen ratings period of the Detroit television market.  

Local 4 News at 5 p.m. garnered an 8.3 household rating (RTG) and a 17 share (SHR) in the 5-6 p.m. time period (compared to WXYZ 6.7 RTG, 14 SHR and WJBK 5.2 RTG, 11 SHR).  Local 4 News at 5 p.m. registered a significant growth of nearly 20% in household ratings over the previous year.  

In the 6-6:30 p.m. time period, Local 4 News at 6 p.m. finished #1 in household ratings scoring a 10.1 household rating and an 19 share (compared to WXYZ 6.3 RTG, 12 SHR and WJBK 4.5 RTG, 9 SHR).  In addition, Local 4 News at 6 p.m. won in the key demo market of adults ages 25-54.  This signifies a 25% ratings growth over the previous year, while competitor WXYZ is down 6% household ratings year to year.

Local 4 News at 11 p.m., the perennial powerhouse of late news anchored by Carmen Harlan, Devin Scillian, Chuck Gaidica and Bernie Smilovitz, dominated all local newscasts with the highest ratings of news on any station, in any time-period.  In February 2010, Local 4 News at 11 p.m. garnered a whopping 10.3 household rating and a 19 share. (compared to WXYZ 7.4 RTG, 14 SHR, WJBK 10pm 7.8 RTG, 12 SHR, and WJBK 11pm M-F 4.9 RTG, 9 SHR).  Local 4 News at 11 p.m. was the only late news to demonstrate growth, up another 17% in household ratings over the previous year.  In addition, Local 4 News at 11 p.m. was beat the late newscast of all NBC affiliates in the top 10 markets nationwide.

From the Opening Ceremony of 2010 Winter Olympics and throughout the 16 days of intense competition in Vancouver, WDIV delivered the Gold Medal in primetime ratings, averaging a 15.7 in household ratings and a 25 share (compared head-to-head to primetime programming on WXYZ 7.0 RTG, 11 SHR and WJBK 5.3 RTG, 8 SHR), up 35% in primetime household ratings and 39% in share over the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.  

On Friday, February 12, WDIV's broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony garnered a 21.1 household rating (RTG) and an 34 share (SHR) in the 7:30 p.m.–12:15 a.m. time period, up 34% from the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in Beijing (15.7 HH RTG, 30 SHR), and up 76% in household rating from the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin (12.0 HH RTG, 20 SHR).

On Wednesday, February 17, as snowboarder Shaun White, speed skater Shani Davis and downhill skier Lindsey Vonn brought home Gold Medals for the U.S. team, WDIV garnered a 20.6 household rating and a 32 share, ranking #1 for household ratings over all NBC affiliates in the top ten markets nationwide.  

In addition, on Sunday, February 28, while Team USA battled Team Canada, WDIV's broadcast of the Men's Hockey Gold Medal game finished just shy of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The WDIV programming lineup in other dayparts also fared well.  The Ellen Degeneres Show (10-11 a.m.) was #1 and continues to lead in all key demographics. In the 4-5 p.m. time period, Local 4 News at 4 p.m. followed by Inside Edition with Deborah Norville virtually tied WXYZ's Oprah in households.  And in the time period of 7-8 p.m., Wheel Of Fortune (11.2 HH RTG, 20 SHR) and Jeopardy (9.9 HH RTG, 17 SHR) are the top-rated shows, and continue to experience growth, up 14% in household ratings from the previous year.

Also in February, ClickOnDetroit.com, WDIV's local and national news, weather, sports and entertainment website, scored over 22.4 million page views, setting an all time record for page views in the month of February.

SOURCE WDIV-TV