Broadcast TV numbers hit new low

NEW YORK — TV viewers must have taken to the beach: It was the least-watched week in recorded history for the four biggest broadcast networks.

CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox averaged 20.8 million viewers during the average prime-time minute last week, according to Nielsen Media Research. That sunk below the previous record, set during the last week of July in 2005.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected. By tradition, the week that includes Independence Day has the fewest viewers of the year, or close to it, because rerun season is in full swing and the public is consumed with outdoor activities.

There also aren’t any new summer hits to entice people. Only one program, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” recorded more than 10 million viewers, Nielsen said.

It was a lousy week for Brian Williams and the “NBC Nightly News,” too.

Williams’ newscast finished out of first place among viewers for the first time since last August, beaten by ABC’s “World News Tonight,” where Diane Sawyer subbed for Charles Gibson, according to Nielsen Media Research.

NBC says there’s an easy explanation. Only three days were counted in the ratings following the long weekend, and on those days NBC’s news was preceded in many markets by coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, which drew relatively little interest. NBC lost during the corresponding weeks in 2001 and 2004.

Despite Gibson’s absence, it was a boost for ABC. In the month since Gibson has taken over, “World News Tonight” has widened the gap over the third-place “CBS Evening News.”

“World News Tonight” averaged 7.3 million viewers and “Nightly News” had 7.2 million (both 5.1 rating, 11 share). The “CBS Evening News” averaged 6.5 million viewers (4.6, 10).