2007 Tony Telecast Ratings Drop 20 Percent from Previous Year

Preliminary reports from the Nielsen ratings indicate that the 61st annual Tony Awards telecast dropped nearly 20 percent from last year's numbers, although CBS won the night on the strength of 60 Minutes. The Tonys were competing with the highly touted finale of The Sopranos on HBO the ratings for that episode haven't been released yet and also the second game of the NBA finals on ABC, which drew higher numbers across the country.

According to Variety, the Tony Awards may have hit an all-time low in the ratings with 6.3 million viewers and a 1.2 rating/3 share in adults ages 18-49. In each of the two previous years, the show earned a 1.4 rating/4 share among those views, while its previous low mark in total viewers was 6.5 million in 2005. In New York, the telecast's 8.2 overnight household rating was down 13% vs. a year ago 9.4 and peaked in the 8:30 half-hour with a 10.1. The ratings dropped sharply to a 7.7 at 9 o'clock, suggesting many New Yorkers flipped over to see The Sopranos.

Nationally, the first hour of the Tonys came in second among the four broadcast networks in its first hour to Dateline on NBC and held on to second place in the second hour, opposite the NBA finals. In the final hour, the show dropped to third, behind the NBA and a Law & Order: SVU rerun.