Sweeping up

From the recently concluded March ratings period:

Chicago: WLS-TV remained on top, as usual at 10 p.m., but CBS-owned WBBM-TV is up 50 percent in the same time period in households. At 9 p.m., WGN-TV's newscast had a 43 percent advantage over an above-average WFLD-TV, despite popular Fox prime-time lead-ins.

Milwaukee: And lead-ins didn't matter here either, as NBC affiliate WTMJ beat its competition at 10 p.m. in households. NBC's primetime lineup finished fourth, while Fox's WITI finished first.

Dallas: ABC affilate WFAA-TV won at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., but was upset by NBC O&O KXAS-TV at 5 p.m., despite WFAA's Oprah lead-in.

Boston: Fox-owned WFXT's 10 p.m. newscast beat all three network affiliates' 11 p.m. newscasts in total viewers, thanks to Fox's prime-time lineup. ABC affiliate WCVB-TV won early fringe; NBC affiliate WHDH-TV (who plans on not running Leno at 10 p.m. this fall) won mornings.

Columbus, Ohio: Longtime ratings leader WBNS-TV finished first in every daypart in households and all in all news time periods. The CBS affiliate bested NBC affiliate WCMH-TV and ABC affiliate WSYX-TV. Fox affiliate WTTE meanwhile, saw rating boost at 10 p.m., thanks to Fox's prime-time. Both WSYX and WTTE are owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.