TV Top Ten - Week of November 3, 2008

Last week the election dominated cable television ratings but hardly made a blip on the broadcast charts. That's not to say American households weren't tuning in on the major four, they just didn't watch as dedicatedly as to CSI and Dancing With The Stars.

NBC's 9 PM hour coverage of Vote 2008 drew 14.1 million viewers, earning a higher rating than any hour of the cable networks but lower than anything else in the broadcast top ten. The only election related show that did better was Saturday Night Live's Presidential Bash '08. Apparently America likes Fred Armisen as Barack Obama better than Obama himself.

While Fox News tended to dominate CNN leading up to the election, in particular on the debates, but Americans favored CNN's election night coverage to that of Fox News. Six hours worth of CNN's coverage made it into the top ten compared to four from Fox, and five of CNN's hours trumped almost everything else. I guess the station with the stupidest gimmick (you know, the idiotic Star Wars-esque "hologram") gets the most watchers.

Of course, the election couldn't top Monday Night Football. The Steelers vs. Redskins earned a slightly higher rating, helping EPSN to keep its football season strangle hold on the number one spot.

RANK PROGRAM NTWK RATING VIEWERS

BROADCAST TELEVISION

1. 60 MINUTES CBS 11.5 18.471

2. CSI CBS 11.2 18.175

3. DANCING WITH THE STARS ABC 11.1 17.089

4. NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 11 17.564

5. DANCING W/STARS RESULT SP(S) ABC 10.2 15.848

6. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 10.1 15.854

6. GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM ABC 10.1 15.74

8. CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 9.3 14.304

9. SNL PRESIDENTIAL BASH '08(S) NBC 8.7 14.436

10. CSI: MIAMI CBS 8.5 12.74

10. VOTE 2008-9:00PM(S) ABC 8.5 14.185

CABLE TELEVISION

1. NFL REGULAR SEASON L (STEELERS/REDSKINS) ESPN 8.7 14.205

2. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 8.3 15.209

3. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 7 13.172

4. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 6.8 12.409

5. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 6.1 11.299

5. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 6.1 11.039

7. AMERICAS ELECTION HQ FOXNC 5.4 9.454

7. AMERICAS ELECTION HQ FOXNC 5.4 9.322

9. AMERICAS ELECTION HQ FOXNC 4.9 8.304

9. ELECTION NIGHT 08(S)-11/04/2008 CNN 4.9 8.522

9. AMERICAS ELECTION HQ FOXNC 4.9 8.047