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The numbers are pretty sizable, with an average of 8 million viewers per telecast, down from 8.4 million last year, according to MediaWeek. Those are the lowest ratings since 2003 (Saturday's UCLA-Xavier game was down 10 percent nationwide compared with regional finals last year). There will be all kinds of theories on the lower viewership, including lots of one-sided games and first round games scheduled on Easter Sunday. Michael Learmonth at Silicon Alley Insider also wonders whether the 12 percent increase in online viewing had an impact. CBS says no, but it just so happens that this is the first year all the games were available online. TV still represents the lion's share of ad revenue from the tournament.
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Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted
until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.