TV Ratings: NFL Opener Stages Strong Return Against Clinton Competition

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Ratings for NBC's broadcast of the New York Giants' loss to the Dallas Cowboys are subject to change when time-zone adjustments come in, but fast affiliate numbers give the game an 8.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 21.8 million viewers. Last year's opener, which aired on a Thursday without competition from the Democratic National Convention, earned a 10.2 rating from Metered Markets. Before the game, NBC aired NBC Sports NFL Kickoff Party '12 to the tune of a 6.4 rating, giving the network an average 8.2 rating in 18-49 for the night and 20.6 million viewers.

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Univision led the rest of the broadcast nets in a distant second, posting a 1.6 adults rating.

CBS and Fox shared third in the demo, with a 1.4 rating; CBS led in viewers with 5.1 million. The network had a slightly down Big Brother, dropping 9 percent to a 2.1 adults rating, an encore of Criminal Minds (1.2 rating) and coverage of the DNC, including President Clinton's big speech. CBS News brought in a 0.9 adults rating, boosting its score in the absence of NBC's political coverage.

So You Think You Can Dance was down 7 percent on Fox, with a 1.4 rating in 18-49 and 4.1 million viewers.

Comedy encores led into ABC News' DNC hour, which also posted a 0.9 rating. The network averaged a 1.0 rating and 3.6 million viewers.

Oh Sit! earned another 0.4 adults rating on The CW.