Local May sweeps numbers, Part 2

Continuing our look at local May sweeps numbers:

Denver: NBC affiliate KUSA-TV swept local news (except 9 p.m. on KTVD) in all time periods. At 10 p.m., KUSA was up a share point from May 2007.

Buffalo: CBS affiliate WIVB-TV won at 11 p.m., but the big story here was NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV’s 11 p.m. news show improving from its prime-time lead-in by a whopping 85 percent. ABC affiliate WKBW-TV finished in third place across the board (and this station was number one just a few years ago.)

Orlando: Cox’s WFTV (ABC) finished first overall and in all news time periods.

Baltimore: This market bucked the trend of eroding prime-time ratings with viewing levels up 2 percent from last year (The article noted that prime ratings were up in the top major markets, including Chicago – news to me!)

On to the numbers… NBC-affiliated WBAL won at 11 p.m. (and all other news time periods), but CBS’ WJZ-TV surged 31 percent from May 2007 in the same time period. WBAL and WJZ tied for first in total-day ratings, while troubled ABC affiliate WMAR finished third overall. Sinclair’s Fox affiliate (WBFF) finished fourth, but its’ news did well at 10 p.m.

Columbus, Ohio: Dispatch-owned WBNS-TV (CBS) took the May sweeps crown in all time periods, except at 6 p.m. when NBC affiliate WCMH-TV beat WBNS by the slightest of margins. Like other NBC affiliates and O&Os, WCMH’s late news jumped from its’ prime-time lead-in.

Cincinnati: Further to the southwest in Ohio, NBC affiliate WLWT didn’t do as well as its’ Columbus counterpart – the station finished third in all news time periods (fourth if you count the 6-7a.m. news hour), with CBS affiliate WKRC-TV finishing first at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Fox affiliate WXIX-TV won from 7 to 9 a.m., and won at 10 p.m. over WKRC-TV’s newscast on WSTR-TV. In August, WKRC is moving the newscast to its’ digital sub-channel (Channel 12.2.)

Norfolk/Portsmouth/Hampton Roads: Belo-owned ABC affiliate WVEC-TV and Lin’s NBC affiliate WAVY-TV spit news leadership (WAVY won mornings and 11 p.m.; WVEC won at Noon, 5, and 6 p.m.), while CBS affiliate WTKR-TV languished in fourth place in several time periods, behind WVEC, WAVY and CW affiliate WGNT-TV. Click here to see ratings (scroll down.)

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