Ratings Archives: December 1996

First, let me start off apologizing that there is a week missing from this month's file. One of two thing happened to not have the week of December 16, 1996. Either USA TODAY did not publish the week missing, or I missed the edition with the ratings chart. It was not uncommon for the USA TODAY to either not publish a week or publish it another date than the usual Wednesday date.

Being December, most of the series are in repeats, but ABC did take two of the three week, I have available. But the one week it didn't win, it came in third place.

Movies, either made for TV or theatrical releases did good during the month. MRS. SANTA CLAUSE finished #3 for the week of December 2, 1996. With 22.5 million viewers, it was CBS' top rated program. That same week, HOME ALONE 2 finished 8th also with 22.5 million viewers, but had a lower HouseHold share for FOX.

The following week, CHRISTMAS IN MY HOMETOWN drew 15.4 million viewers for CBS. It was topped by NBC's LYING EYES, which earned 16 million viewers.

On Christmas Day, there were three programs posting over 10 million viewers. Repeats of THE NANNY (CBS) and GRACE UNDER FIRE (ABC) drew 10.9 million and 11.5 million, respectively. The top program of the night was in original episode of COACH (ABC). The classic comedy drew 13..5 million viewers. I doubt we'll ever see those kinds of numbers again, outside of an NFL game on Christmas day.

Nielsen Broadcast ratings charts for December 2 to December 29, 1996