The disappointing debut of “The Jay Leno Show” at 10 p.m. on NBC has hammered ratings for the 11 p.m. newscast
of local affiliate WTHR-TV Channel 13, cutting its average audience by nearly half. But the Indianapolis NBC affiliate says
it will rebound in the fight with its CBS rival because the Leno show has fresh programming year around.
New NASCAR start times may cause Indy Racing League to choose between pleasing its TV partner or local promoters.
Early ratings from the all-important May sweeps suggest WTHR-TV Channel 13’s 15-year reign as king of local television news
is secure for now. But the big test will come this fall when NBC’s weakening prime-time lineup is expected to put the ratings
crown in play.
The Grand Prix at Long Beach April 19 scored a 0.5 TV rating for the Indy Racing League, according to New York-based Nielsen
Media Research. That’s the same rating the race earned last year on ESPN 2 when it was the swan song for CART.
Less than two years after its audacious launch, the Chicago-based Big Ten Network has expanded into more than 70 million homes with coverage
in 23 of the nation’s top 25 markets.
