Television had its biggest hit of the season last weekend.
The New England Patriots' clinching of a perfect season with a Saturday night win over the New York Giants was seen by an estimated 34.5 million people, according to Nielsen Media Research.
That was 9 million more than any prime-time entertainment show this season. It's also, according to Nielsen's records, the second most-watched NFL regular-season game in at least 20 years. Only a 1990 game between the Giants and San Francisco 49ers did better.
The Pats-Giants game wasn't a windfall for any one network, however: CBS and NBC aired a simulcast of the NFL Network telecast, along with local stations in New York and the Boston area.
CBS won the week in prime time, averaging 8.6 million viewers (5.3 rating, 10 share). NBC averaged 8.2 million viewers (5.1, 9) and won handily among viewers ages 18 to 49. Fox had 6.1 million viewers (3.6, 7), ABC 5.2 million (3.3, 6), the CW 1.7 million (1.1, 2), My Network TV 1.1 million (0.7, 1) and ION Television 610,000 (0.4, 1).
NBC's “Nightly News” won the evening news ratings race, averaging 9.1 million viewers (6 rating, 12 share). ABC's “World News” had 8.5 million (5.7, 11) and the “CBS Evening News” 6.9 million (4.5, 9).
Here are the prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 24-30:
1. “NBC Sunday Night Football: Tennessee at Indianapolis.”
2. “NFL Football: New England at N.Y. Giants,” CBS.
3. “NFL Football: New England at N.Y. Giants,” NBC.
4. “60 Minutes,” CBS.
5. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS.
6. “Without a Trace,” CBS.
7. “Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick,” NBC.
8. “Deal or No Deal,” NBC.
9. “Amazing Race 12,” CBS.
10. “CSI: NY,” (Thursday) CBS.
11. “Criminal Minds,” CBS.
12. “The OT,” Fox.
13. “Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit,” NBC.
14. “NBC NFL Pre-Kick” (Saturday).
15. “Football Night in America,” NBC.
16. “ABC Sunday Movie of the Week: The Sound of Music.”
17. “Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit,” NBC.
18. “Cold Case,” CBS.
19. “Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit,” NBC.
20. “Fox Movie Special: Christmas With the Kranks,” Fox.
