The Washington Redskins` 37-24 blowout of the Buffalo Bills in Sunday`s Super Bowl XXVI didn`t help CBS` ratings.
The 25-city Nielsen overnights gave the game, which started at 5:21 p.m. Chicago time, a 40.4 average rating, with a 60 share. A national Nielsen rating point represents 921,000 TV households. Shares are a percentage of sets in use.
Last year`s Super Bowl, which ended with the New York Giants defeating the Bills 20-19, had a 42.7 overnight rating for ABC, 5 percent higher than this year`s number.
While CBS officials figure the national Nielsen average will be around 40 (making it the second-lowest Super Bowl rating in 20 years-CBS also had a 39.0/63 in 1990), Fox Network`s ploy of presenting a live ”In Living Color” opposite the halftime show hurt.
The CBS audience for halftime dipped to a 33.2 rating with a 49 share, while ”In Living Color” had a 17.4/25, making it the highest-rated non-game show Sunday night. Fox`s programs surrounding ”In Living Color” didn`t fare as well.
Chicago viewers pretty much followed the national trend, with the Super Bowl getting a 40.8 rating with a 59 share on WBBM-Ch. 2, with the halftime show dipping to 32.2/45. ”In Living Color” had a 20.3/29 on WFLD-Ch. 32.