Emmy Viewership Down 14 Percent

LOS ANGELES, August 29: Viewership for the Primetime Emmy
Awards fell 14 percent this year to 16.1 million, according to Nielsen Media
Research, but the NBC broadcast still fared better than ABC’s broadcast of Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Industry observers say ABC decided to air the Johnny Depp
blockbuster up against the annual television awards because Desperate
Housewives and Lost were both shut out of the Emmy’s top categories.

NBC, however, still won the night, delivering 16.1 million
viewers against Pirates’ 10.2 million. Among
viewers aged 18 to 49, the Emmys drew about 6.8 million viewers, compared with
about 5 million for Pirates.