Coverage of the final night of the GOP convention yielded ratings blows across the board for the networks airing it Thursday night, with CBS taking a win for the night based largely on a steady "Big Brother," according to preliminary numbers.
Thursday night's ratings for all networks are likely to change due to the nature of tracking live events and preemptions from pre-season football. But as things currently stand, CBS holds first place in both the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic with a 1.8 rating/5 share and in total viewers with 5.7 million.
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Following repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men," "Big Brother" at 9 p.m. drew even with last week's episode for a 2.3/6 and had 6.5 million total viewers. The network's coverage of the Republican convention the following hour posted a 1.0/3 — down 29 percent from the equivalent night of the 2008 convention — and 3.5 million total viewers.
ABC took second place in ratings and total viewers with a 1.4/4 and 5.3 million. Aside from its convention coverage, the network's slate saw considerable boosts, starting with "Wipeout" at 8, which climbed 23 percent for a 1.6/5 and attracted 5.8 million total viewers. "Rookie Blue" the following hour jumped 50 percent in the demo, receiving a 1.5/4 and drew 5.7 million total viewers. ABC's convention coverage at 10 posted a 1.0/3, a 38 percent drop from the equivalent night of the 2008 convention, and had 4.2 million total viewers.
Univision drew third place in ratings with a 1.2/4 and fifth in total viewers with 2.9 million.
Fox, which ran repeats throughout the night, took fourth place in ratings and fourth in total viewers with a 1.1/3 and 3.5 million.
NBC drew fifth place in ratings and third in total viewers with a 1.0/3 and 3.6 million. Following repeats of "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation," "Saving Hope" at 9 spiked 83 percent for a 1.1/3 and drew 4.1 million total viewers. NBC's coverage of the Republican convention, meanwhile, plunged 76 percent from the equivalent night last year for a 0.8/2, and drew 3.3 million total viewers.