Oprah Gives ABC Big Ratings

by Jarrett Martineau | March 4, 2008 at 02:38 am | 371 views | add comment

It's no wonder that Oprah is consistenly considered one of the most powerful people in the entertainment world.

If Oprah supports your election campaign, you will likely become the next American president. If Oprah likes your book, it will sell millions of copies.

And if Oprah debuts a new reality tv show, millions and millions of people will watch it.

Her show might as well be called "Oprah Knows Best".

Oprah gave big to ABC on
Sunday night as the premiere of her new reality show triumphed
in the Nielsen ratings.

Critics might have been less than kind, but the debut of
the talk-show host's philanthropic reality effort "Oprah's Big
Give" was the highest-rated program of the night, according to
preliminary returns.

Additionally, the "Big Give" audience spilled over into the
under-the-radar debut of another ABC reality title, "Here Come
the Newlyweds," helping ABC win the night among key measures.

ABC opened with "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8.2
million total viewers, 2.7 rating among adults 18-49/8 share),
followed by "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (14.8 million,
5.1/13), "Big Give" (15.6 million, 5.3/12) and "Newlyweds"
(10.3 million, 4.1/11). ABC won every hour from 8-11 p.m., with
"Big Give" becoming third-most-watched freshman series debut
this season (following Fox's "Moment of Truth" and "Terminator:
The Sarah Connor Chronicles").