The second-season return of Smash on Feb. 5 was always going to be a tough sell. But ABC's decision to schedule a last-minute special Tuesday-night edition of The Bachelor against it helped to crush NBC's musical drama, which attracted just 4.5 million viewers. Meanwhile, Sean Lowe and his roses brought in 7.9 million.
In this age of time-shifted and on-demand viewing, TV network scheduling seems like an antiquated idea. Yet as the networks fight over smaller pieces of the Nielsen ratings pie, scheduling — and the strategy behind how and when programs run — continues to play a critical role.
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Did the Super Bowl set a viewership record for a third year in a row? Just barely...
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The most-watched event on American television no longer is in jeopardy.
The National Football League and the players finally forged a deal after nearly five months of labor wrangling, both sides announced in a televised news conference Monday. So the Super Bowl — which this year was seen by 111 million viewers, making it the most-watched prime-time telecast in U.S. history — will be played Feb. 5 and televised by NBC, for which Sunday Night Football is a rare ratings winner.
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Our top moments of the week:
14. The "Make 'Em Laugh" Award: So You Think You Can Dance guest judge Debbie Reynolds teaches a whole new generation ...
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Christina Aguilera has been added to the coaching ranks on NBC's upcoming show The Voice, the network announced Wednesday.
"Her journey as an artist, who started so young in the music business, will be an inspiration to the talent she coaches on the show," network executive Paul Telegdy said in a statement.
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