May Numbers are In....

Arkansas Business.com has the scoop on the May Neilson numbers. Below are some highlights:

At 10 p.m., KTHV's 10.3 household rating and 20.9 share in the market tied KATV-TV, Channel 7, for the top spot. However, when you look at year-to-year growth, KTHV's rating jumped 16 percent, while KATV's fell 12 percent. KTHV also took an impressive lead in the persons 18-49 demo, where KTHV scored a 7.1 to best KATV's 4.2, and in the women 25-54 demo, where KTHV posted a 9.4 rating to KATV's 6.8.

The ratings also show impressive growth for KARK-TV, Channel 4, and KLRT-TV, Channel 16. NBC affiliate KARK continued to dominate the household ratings at noon, when it airs "Dialing for Dollars," while also showing year-to-year growth at 5 p.m. in the demographics mentioned above. KARK posted the second-best household ratings during the 5 p.m. newscast, trailing KATV.

Fox affiliate KLRT and its 9 p.m. newscast can now claim household ratings approaching the other stations and ratings in the two major demos that surpass its rivals. The station began broadcasting at 9 p.m. in May 2004, when it scored a 1.8 rating and 3.2 share. The station's May 2008 book has a 7.1 household share and 12.4 rating for the market, and its 5.6 rating in persons 18-49 takes the demographic's second spot when compared with its 10 p.m. competitors.

Though KATV maintained its household lead in the market at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., the station's newscasts showed negative year-to-year growth in the majority of household ratings and coveted demos.

The ABC affiliate won at 5 p.m. with a household rating of 11.3 and 26.7 share. The ratings were down compared with last year, though, and the station also lost the persons 18-49 demo, falling from a 5 in 2007 to a 4 in 2008. KATV held onto its lead in the women 25-54 demo, though, posting a 5.4 rating. The 5.4 rating is an 18 percent drop compared with 2007's 6.6 rating in the demo.