Ratings Hit Summertime Lull
By Steve Brennan
Thursday, August 6 1998
Thursday, August 6 1998
Published on AllBusiness.com
Heat waves and summer vacations took their toll on the syndication brigade, causing another ho-hum outing during the week ending July 26, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Only Paramount's "Entertainment Tonight" showed any sign of life among magazine shows, posting a 5.1, up one-tenth of a ratings point from the previous week.
Warner Bros.' "Extra" was second in the genre with a 3.7, down from a 3.9. King World's "Inside Edition" landed a 3.5, down from a 3.7. Paramount's "Hard Copy," which will be revamped for next season, was flat at a 2.6.
Highlighting the success of off-network entries in the weekly ratings joust, three action shows landed on top. Twentieth Television's "The X-Files" posted a flat 5.0; Columbia TriStar Television Distribution's "Walker, Texas Ranger" logged a 4.0, down from a 4.1; and Warner Bros.' "NYPD Blue" copped a 3.7, up from a 3.2 the previous week.
Only Paramount's "Entertainment Tonight" showed any sign of life among magazine shows, posting a 5.1, up one-tenth of a ratings point from the previous week.
Warner Bros.' "Extra" was second in the genre with a 3.7, down from a 3.9. King World's "Inside Edition" landed a 3.5, down from a 3.7. Paramount's "Hard Copy," which will be revamped for next season, was flat at a 2.6.
Highlighting the success of off-network entries in the weekly ratings joust, three action shows landed on top. Twentieth Television's "The X-Files" posted a flat 5.0; Columbia TriStar Television Distribution's "Walker, Texas Ranger" logged a 4.0, down from a 4.1; and Warner Bros.' "NYPD Blue" copped a 3.7, up from a 3.2 the previous week.
