Weekly Nielsen Ratings: 1996-97 TV Season

Below are the full weekly ratings results for the entire 1996-97 television season. There are four different sets of data posted below and there is a chart at the bottom of the post to help make clear what types of data are available in each of the season's 53 weeks. The first document includes clippings from the USA Today which have HH rating/share and viewership to 1-decimal place for every show of the week. This data was previously posted over at the TVAholics blog; however, the links are dead, so I've decided to post them here so they are at least available somewhere on the internet. USA Today clippings were not available for the weeks ending Dec. 22, 1996 updated with hand-typed chart, Mar. 9, 1997, or Apr. 13, 1997, so HH ratings are provided from Broadcasting & Cable Magazine.

The second document includes weekly viewership results to 2-decimal places. From w/e Sept. 22, 1996 through w/e Dec. 29, 1996, two-decimal viewership data is only available for the top 20 shows and comes from the archives of UltimateTV.com (note: the documents say "households" but the numbers are actually total viewers/persons 2+). Beginning with the w/e Jan. 5, 1997, two-decimal viewership is available for every broadcast program and comes from the Los Angeles Times. The third document includes the weekly top 50 basic cable ratings from Broadcasting & Cable magazine, but there are a few scattered weeks in which only the top 15 basic cable ratings were available. The final document includes the weekly top 5 pay cable ratings (essentially just HBO) and they are available for 45/53 weeks. Utilize the "+" icon to zoom in on any pages that are difficult to read. 

USA TODAY WEEKLY RESULTS

TWO-DECIMAL VIEWERSHIP

BASIC CABLE RATINGS

PAY CABLE RATINGS

RATINGS AVAILABLE BY WEEK

Week Ending	Ratings	Data Available
September 22, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
September 29, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
October 6, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
October 13, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
October 20, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Missing
October 27, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
November 3, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
November 10, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
November 17, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
November 24, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 15 Top 5
December 1, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
December 8, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 50 Top 5
December 15, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 15 Top 5
December 22, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 15 Top 5
December 29, 1996	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Top 20 Top 15 Top 5
January 5, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 15 Top 5
January 12, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
January 19, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
January 26, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
February 2, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
February 9, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
February 16, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
February 23, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
March 2, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
March 9, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Missing Full Week Top 50 Top 5
March 16, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
March 23, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
March 30, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
April 6, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
April 13, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Missing Full Week Top 50 Top 5
April 20, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
April 27, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
May 4, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
May 11, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
May 18, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
May 25, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
June 1, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
June 8, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Missing
June 15, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
June 22, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 15 Top 5
June 29, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
July 6, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
July 13, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
July 20, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
July 27, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
August 3, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
August 10, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
August 17, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
August 24, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
August 31, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
September 7, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
September 14, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 50 Top 5
September 21, 1997	Broadcast HH rating/share Viewership to 1-decimal Viewership to 2-decimals Basic cable ratings Pay cable ratings	Full Week Full Week Full Week Top 15 Top 5

Source: Nielsen Media Research via USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Ultimate TV, and Broadcasting & Cable Magazine