Despite increased optimism about the economy, the social media landscape indicates that we are in a similar place to where we were this time last year.

CBS’s “CSI” and “Eleventh Hour” special presentations were the number one and number-two ranked primetime telecasts on broadcast TV for Thursday, December 25, 2008.
NBC’s “Deal Or No Deal” special rounded out the top three.

RANK
NAME
NETWORK
VIEWERS (P2+)

1
CSI – SPECIAL(S)-12/25/2008
CBS
8,029,000

2
ELEVENTH HOUR – SPECIAL(S)-12/25/2008
CBS
7,370,000

3
DEAL OR NO DEAL 12/25(S)-12/25/2008
NBC
6,524,000

4
WITHOUT A TRACE 8PM SPCL(S)-12/25/2008
CBS
5,877,000

5
UGLY BETTY SP-12/25(S)-12/25/2008
ABC
3,606,000

6
PRIVATE PRACTICE SP-12/25(S)-12/25/2008
ABC
3,521,000

7
OFFICE 12/25-A(S)-12/25/2008
NBC
3,384,000

8
GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM SP(S)-12/25/2008
ABC
3,366,000

9
KITCHEN NGHTMR SP-XMAS 9P(S)-12/25/2008
FOX
2,970,000

10
OFFICE 12/25-B(S)-12/25/2008
NBC
2,800,000

Source: The Nielsen Company (December 25, 2008).

Overall, CBS won the night with an average audience of almost 7.1 million viewers, while NBC took second place with almost 5.4 million average viewers. …

When it comes to holiday baking, consumers in the northern U.S. reach for baking supplies — like readymade frosting, cake decorations, chocolate chips, and food coloring, while southerners prefer to stick to the basics: flour and sugar.
Last November and December, supermarket shoppers in northern markets like Hartford and New Haven, Conn. and Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. spent almost one-third more, percentage-wise, on baking supplies than average American consumers, Nielsen reports.
During the same period, shoppers in southern markets like Birmingham, Ala. and Memphis dominated sales of flour, spending 106% and 78% more, respectively, than average Americans.
Consumers in Memphis and Birmingham also dominated sales …