Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of April 4-10, showcasing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and network and show TV ad impressions insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 19 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

The Masters, one of the PGA Tour’s premier events, drives to the top spot in this week’s watch-time ranking. From April 4-10, the Masters accounted for 3.39% of TV minutes watched — more than three times the next most-watched program (the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament).

Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:

• March Madness closed out strong, as the national title game between Kansas and North Carolina netted 0.98% of the week’s watch-time.
• Along with the Masters itself, coverage from the tournament was also a major draw for viewers, with Golf Channel’s Live From the Masters finishing No. 3 by minutes watched.
• Despite the regular season only starting on Thursday, Major League Baseball still caught 0.82% of the week’s watch-time (No. 7 overall).
• TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days was another newcomer to our rankings this week, picking up 0.41% of minutes watched.

Masters coverage was a boost to CBS watch-time, as the network collected 8.14% of all minutes watched from April 4-10. That’s the fifth straight week that CBS has led in our ranking, due at least in part to major sporting events (the Masters and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament).

More insights around the most-watched networks from April 4-10:

• ESPN remained at No. 6 in this week’s rankings, but also increased watch-time from 2.64% to 3.40% week-over-week thanks to its own Masters coverage -- including both early-round tournament play and special SportsCenter airings on location at the event.
• On a similar note, Golf Channel jumped into the top 50 (thanks, again, to Masters coverage) after not being listed the previous week.
• TBS’s airing of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s national title game kept the network among the top 10 by minutes watched for the week.
• Leaning on its typical syndicated comedy programming, TV Land made modest week-over-week watch-time gains, climbing from No. 23 to No. 22 by minutes watched.

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

Courtesy of a simulcast across TBS, TNT and truTV, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s championship game delivered the most TV ad impressions, with over 2.6% of the total for the week.

More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions:

• With four days of golf action across four different networks, the Masters scored the third-most impressions for the week (1.85% of the total).
• Speaking of sports, it‘s a major point of emphasis for the week, as five of the top 10 programs by impressions are sports-related.
• Another week with two shows (April 4 and 10) meant another week of American Idol finishing in the top five for TV ad impressions.
• The arrival of the regular season meant Major League Baseball games returning to national TV, where matchups served up more than 450 million ad impressions from Thursday through Sunday.

CBS parked itself at No. 1 again in our ad-impressions-by-network ranking for April 4-10, delivering 13.7% of TV ad impressions during the time period.

Additional insights around the top networks by impressions from the week:

• Talk and news programs accounted for nearly 50% of ABC TV ad impressions from April 4-10, led by Good Morning America (14.9% of ABC impressions).
• The Masters had a competitor on CBS, as The Price Is Right delivered 10.97% of impressions to lead all programs on the network (The Masters was second with 10.11%).
• From April 4-10, nearly 18% of Fox News Channel impressions for the week came during Monday programming (almost as much as Saturday and Sunday combined).
• Bravo TV ad impressions leapt by more than 20% week-over-week, with shows in the Real Housewives franchise accounting for 40% of impressions from April 4-10. ▪️

Tiger Woods’ comeback from injury to play in the Masters golf tournament on Thursday gave ESPN’s coverage a 21% increase in viewership from last year.

ESPN’s telecast averaged 2.8 million viewers, peaking between 4:15 p.m. and 4:29 p.m. when Woods played his final hole of the round.

Woods finished the first day of competition one under par. Wood was severely injured in a car accident last year.

The Masters also generated the most viewed day of golf on ESPN Plus, ESPN said. 

Viewership also grew for SportsCenter at the Masters, which ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m on Thursday leading into the network’s live coverage. The program averaged 801,000 viewers, with an average of 1.2 million between 2-3 p.m. Viewership was up 149% over 2021 and 120% over 2019. ■

ABC and CBS shared the Sunday ratings crown. ABC had American Idol and CBS had The Masters golf leading into prime. Both posted a 0.6 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 4 share. 

ABC had America’s Funniest Home Videos up 20% to 0.6 and two hours of American Idol at a flat 0.7 and 0.8. The Rookie lost 20% for a 0.4

CBS had The Masters at the start of prime at 1.6 and 60 Minutes up 60% to 0.8. After an Equalizer rerun, NCIS: Los Angeles slid 20% to 0.4, and NCIS: New Orleans posted a flat 0.4. 

Telemundo did a 0.4/2. Exatlon Estados Unidos got a virtually flat 0.3 and led into film Milagro En La Celda 7. 

Fox, NBC and Univision all scored a 0.3/2. Fox had Bless the Harts at 0.2 and The Simpsons at 0.4, both flat. The Great North did a 0.3 and Bob’s Burgers a 0.4, both level, then Family Guy shot up 25% to 0.5.

NBC had Ellen’s Game of Games repeats, then Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Good Girls at 0.3. Zoey lost a tenth and Good Girls stayed level. 

Univision had Aqui y Ahora at a flat 0.2 and two hours of Mira Quien Baila Univision All Stars grew 50% to 0.3. Sal y Pimienta scored a level 0.2. 

The CW got a 0.1/1. Batwoman and Charmed both tallied a flat 0.1. 

DirecTV’s foray into live 4K will tee off tomorrow with partial coverage of the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, but details surfaced online show that the satellite TV giant has a bit more in store when it comes to Ultra HD.

Per an FAQ about DirecTV’s 4K efforts, spotted by TV Predictions, DirecTV will start off with three channels dedicated to the pixel-packed format:

-Channel 104: a full-time channel with mix of 4K fare, including nature documentaries and original content from the DirecTV/AT&T Audience Network.

-Channel 105: a full-time pay-per-view movie channel with full-length features and short-form documentaries.

-Channel 106: An event channel with free 4K live events, including this week’s Master’s coverage, as well as pay-per-view events.

What’s not as clear is if all three are launching this week. AT&T has been asked to confirm the launch timing. But DirecTV has previously announced details around the 4K Masters coverage. It will offer all four rounds of tournament play (April 7-10, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET) in the new format but limit 4K coverage to “Amen Corner” – Augusta’s 11th, 12th and 13th holes.

Update: DirecTV's new 4K Ultra HD channels will go live April 7 to qualified subscribers (see below for more on that). 

The FAQ also provides a bit more detail on the technical requirements and financial commitment needed by subs who want to open that 4K spigot.

On the device side, they’ll need a Genie HD DVR (model HR54) or later and a 4K Genie Mini if they do not own a “DirecTV Ready” 4K TV. They’ll also need to spring for a professional install, which runs $50, and must be on the provider’s Ultimate or Premiere package.

Also of note: subscribers can view only one 4K channel or VOD program in the format at once; however, they can playback a program recorded from a 4K channel while recording another, and can watch a recorded 4K VOD title on a second 4K TV at the same time.

Outside the 4K sphere, AT&T also said DirecTV and U-verse TV will offer three extra feeds of golf tournament coverage via the “Masters Experience” – a mosaic channel that will also feature a running leaderboard of live tee times, scoring, and leaders’ locations on the course. 

Narrator Tom Selleck sets up Golf Channel’s three-part documentary tribute to a golfing legend by noting: “Someday – even decades – maybe centuries from now, they’ll hear the name Arnold Palmer and they’ll want to know everything.”

For those who are too young or have forgotten, Arnie brings memories and perspective to the course Palmer set on America’s sports and culture that teed off more than a half-century ago.

With 100 interviews and conversations with a still sharp Palmer over the past year,Arnie is produced by 13-time Emmy Award winner and former NBC Sports feature producer Israel DeHerrera.

Screening the first two parts of Golf’s home movie of sorts – Palmer is a co-founder of the 83 million home channel – Arnie weighs in on the influence of his steely father Deacon and loving mother Doris, and the profound impact the death of Buddy Worsham, his college buddy from Wake Forest, had on the young man.

Arnie also examines what was Palmer’s hardy initial embrace of Mark McCormack, the late IMG founder, whose influence on the player’s life and the sports world is boundless. Peyton Manning, who knows a million or few about pitching, talks about the invention of sports marketing. That was fueled by the proliferation of TV, which reached 88% of U.S. households in 1960, during Palmer's on-course ascension.

Palmer’s business enterprises  and charitable legacy, particularly the hospitals named for his late wife, Winnie, are also explored. So, too, is how the man the common folk loved and helped golf explode have had their love requited over the years by the leader of Armie's Army. Palmer responds to all letters/request he receives -- all housed in countless boxes in a shed at his Latrobe, Pa., home.

The doc delves into his competitive relationship and friendship with Jack Nicklaus and their contrasting personalities and styles. Palmer, the extrovert, swung fast and produced low drives, while the more introverted, deliberate Nicklaus fashioned high shots that ultimately surpassed Palmer on the course. What's unsaid is that the superiority of his game has kept the Golden Bear in the public eye more than Palmer, as Jack's 18 majors are continually mentioned in many Tiger Woods' discussions.

Then, there is the golf itself.  Black and white footage dramatically captures Palmer's hard-charging, go-for-broke style that would make Phil Mickelson proud. "The King's" aggressive nature yielded seven Grand Slams, as well as implosion on 18 that ended his chance to become the first man ever to repeat at the Masters, back in 1961. The case is also made how three shots could have quadrupled Palmer's total of one U.S. Open. His triumphs at the British and shortcomings at the PGA are also chronicled in the second part of the documentary.

You can take viewer mulligans in the sense that there will be encores on the network and on the Golf Live Xtra app to screen Arnie. But what better way to cap the Masters 2014 Sunday by spending time with Arnie, the man who burnished his royal links legacy at Augusta National.

Arnie premieres April 13 at 10 p.m. on Golf Channel.