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The 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV Scores Highest Overnight Ratings in 20 Years for First Thursday

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 18, 2011

Contact(s)

Gail Dent
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS---CBS Sports’ and Turner Sports’ exclusive second-round coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV on Thursday, March 17  combined to deliver an overnight household rating/share of 5.7/13 up 24% from a 4.6/11 for CBS Sports’ 2010 coverage, according to Nielsen.

The 5.7/13 was the highest rating for the first Thursday of the NCAA Tournament in the metered markets since 1991, when the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day.

The first telecast window of the day (12:00 NOON-4:15 PM, ET) combined to earn a 4.4/15, up +42% from a 3.1/10 last year.

The second window of the day (3:00-6:45 PM, ET) delivered a 5.1/13, up +46% from a 3.5/10 last year.

The third telecast window of the day (7:00-9:45 PM, ET) delivered a 6.5/12, up +8% from a 6.0/11 in 2010.

The final window of the day, (9:15 PM-12:30 AM, ET) earned a 6.9/13, up +13% from a 6.1/12 last year.

 

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CONTACTS:

Sal Petruzzi                       Turner Sports   212-275-6897             sal.petruzzi@turner.com           

Jeff Pomeroy                    Turner Sports   404-827-4786             jeff.pomeroy@turner.com

Jennifer Sabatelle              CBS Sports     212-975-4120              jsabatelle@cbs.com

Jerry Caraccioli                CBS Sports      212-975-7466             gwcaraccioli@cbs.com