Ratings Review: 2014 Holiday Specials

It is time for the annual ratings review on all the holiday specials the five broadcast networks ran between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There were over fifty programs this year, with most of the great classics, with a few new comers, are at or near the top of the chart. Most specials did have multiple airings, but rarely did the encore do as well as the initial broadcast.

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER was easily the #1 special, as the only one to command over 10 million viewers. it was also the most popular special among the A18-49 crowd, grabbing a 2.8 rating. the new PETER PAN LIVE! did place third on the chart, but was a major disappointment, when compared to 2013's SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE!, which was a major ratings hit.

ABC did very well with the Christmas day airing of the animated special HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. It ranked 10th, for the season, and collected just under six million viewers. The movie, which followed that night, drew five million viewers, ranking 15th.

Day	Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49
12/09/14	8:00	CBS	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer	10.64	2.8
12/03/14	8:00	NBC	Christmas in Rockefeller Center	9.52	1.9
12/04/14	8:00	NBC	Peter Pan Live!	9.21	2.4
12/07/14	8:00	CBS	I Love Lucy Christmas	9.06	1.3
12/01/14	8:00	ABC	CMA Country Christmas	8.90	1.6
12/17/14	8:00	NBC	Michael Buble's Christmas in NY	7.53	1.3
12/02/14	8:00	ABC	Toy Story that Time Forgot	6.79	1.9
12/02/14	8:30	ABC	Charlie Brown Christmas	6.75	2.1
12/16/14	8:00	ABC	Charlie Brown Christmas	6.29	1.8
12/25/14	8:00	ABC	How Grinch/Stole Christmas	5.96	1.9
12/21/14	7:00	ABC	The Sound of Music Sing-Along	5.60	1.2
12/13/14	9:00	CBS	Frosty The Snow Man	5.40	1.4
12/23/14	8:00	ABC	Shrek the Halls	5.30	1.2
12/13/14	8:00	CBS	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer [R]	5.10	1.3
12/25/14	8:30	ABC	Movie: Grinch/Stole Christmas	5.03	1.8
12/24/14	8:00	NBC	It's A Wonderful Life [R]	5.03	1.2
12/16/14	8:00	NBC	Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas	4.82	1.3
12/05/14	9:00	CBS	A Very Grammy Christmas	4.73	0.8
12/23/14	8:30	ABC	Toy Story that Time Forgot [R]	4.70	1.2
11/28/14	9:00	CBS	Frost the Snowman	4.64	1.1
12/22/14	8:00	NBC	SNL Christmas [R]	4.55	1.4
12/16/14	9:00	ABC	Prep & Landing	4.18	1.3
12/09/14	8:00	ABC	Santa Claus is Coming to Town	4.14	1.1
12/11/14	10:00	NBC	Blake Shelton/Christmas	3.95	0.8
12/06/14	8:00	NBC	Movie: It's A Wonderful Life	3.90	0.7
12/23/14	10:00	NBC	Kelly Clarkson/Christmas Tale [R]	3.61	0.7
11/28/14	9:30	CBS	Yes, Virginia	3.60	0.7
12/24/14	8:00	CBS	I Love Lucy Christmas [R]	3.58	0.7
12/05/14	8:00	NBC	How Murray Saved Christmas	3.57	0.9
12/23/14	9:00	NBC	Michael Buble's Christmas in NY [R]	3.57	0.8
12/20/14	9:00	ABC	CMA Country Christmas [R]	3.11	0.6
12/19/14	9:00	CBS	Home for the Holidays	3.11	0.5
11/29/14	8:00	CBS	Flight Before Christmas	3.08	0.7
11/29/14	9:00	CBS	Story of Santa Clause	3.04	0.7
12/20/14	8:00	ABC	I Want a Dog for Christmas	2.90	0.6
12/25/14	10:00	NBC	Christmas/Rockefeller Center [R]	1.98	0.4
12/18/14	8:00	CW	iHeart Radio Jingle Ball	1.84	0.6
12/17/14	8:00	CW	Greatest Holiday Commercials [R]	1.82	0.5
11/28/14	8:00	CW	Grandma/Reindeer	1.78	0.4
11/30/14	7:00	FOX	Ice Age: Mammoth Christmas	1.76	0.6
12/20/14	8:00	NBC	The Sound of Music Live! [R]	1.70	0.3
12/22/14	8:00	CW	iHeart Radio Jingle Ball [R]	1.49	0.5
12/01/14	8:00	CW	Grandma/Reindeer [R]	1.40	0.4
12/25/14	8:00	NBC	How Murray saved Christmas [R]	1.36	0.3
12/19/14	8:00	CW	Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol	1.28	0.3
11/28/14	9:30	CW	Merry Madagascar	1.27	0.3
11/28/14	9:00	CW	Kung Fu Panda Holiday	1.20	0.3
12/25/14	9:00	NBC	Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas [R]	1.13	0.3
12/01/14	9:00	CW	Greatest Holiday Commercials	1.12	0.4
12/25/14	8:00	CW	Movie: 12 Dogs of Christmas	0.90	0.2
12/19/14	9:30	CW	Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special	0.81	0.2
12/24/14	8:00	CW	Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol [R]	0.78	0.2
12/24/14	9:30	CW	Merry Madagascar [R]	0.74	0.2

* - In Millions