Nielsen ratings: 'Bachelorette' finale proves to be engaging

Love conquers all – even the ratings.

August 11, 2010 at 9:14PM
Millions of viewers watched Ali Fedotowsky find love — and a fiancée — with Roberto on the season finale of "The Bachelorette."
Millions of viewers watched Ali Fedotowsky find love — and a fiancée — with Roberto on the season finale of “The Bachelorette.” (ABC/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"The Bachelorette," Ali Fedotowsky, has a new fiancé and some TV bragging rights.

The Nielsen Co. said an estimated 11.7 million people watched Fedotowsky give her final rose to insurance agent Roberto Martinez on the ABC show and, in return, get a proposal.

On a quiet August week, that was enough to make "The Bachelorette" the No. 1 program. It was the first time that the show, which debuted as a spinoff to "The Bachelor" in 2003, has topped the weekly ratings.

The couple plan to settle in the San Diego area.

The popular "America's Got Talent" and the opening of the NFL's exhibition football season Saturday night enabled NBC to jump into second place for the week, behind CBS.

Inspirational speaker Tony Robbins proved uninspiring for TV audiences. His motivational reality series was canceled after only 2.8 million people watched the second episode last week.

NBC's "Nightly News" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 7.2 million viewers. ABC's "World News" was a close second with 6.9 million, and the "CBS Evening News" had 5 million viewers.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

1 The Bachelorette (ABC)

2 NFL Exhibition: Cincinnati vs. Dallas (NBC)

3 The Bachelorette: After the Rose (ABC)

4 America's Got Talent, Tue. (NBC)

5 America's Got Talent, Wed. (NBC)

6 NFL Pregame Show (NBC)

7 60 Minutes (CBS)

8 NCIS (CBS)

9 Wipeout, Tue. (ABC)

10 The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

11 Two and a Half Men (CBS)

12 Big Brother, Sun. (CBS)

13 NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)

14 Criminal Minds (CBS)

15 Hell's Kitchen (Fox)

16 Big Brother, Thu. (CBS)

17 The Mentalist (CBS)

18 Big Brother, Wed. (CBS)

19 Rookie Blue (ABC)

20 Minute to Win It (NBC)

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