Without Smarty, NBC's Preakness Ratings Drop  Without Smarty,
NBC's Preakness Ratings Drop NBC Sports' television broadcast of
the 130th running of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) averaged a
5.1/13 national rating/share, down sharply from last year when
Smarty Jones captured the middle leg of the Triple Crown, but up
slightly from the same figures for 2003.  The 5.1 rating dropped
16.4% from the 2004 broadcast, which earned the company a 6.1/15
rating/market share. The rating is up 2% from 2003 when the
network had a 5.0/13 posting. NBC also reported that the "pre-
race" rating averaged a 3.5, while the race segment itself rated
a significantly higher 6.3.  NBC Spokesperson Alana Russo said
that 1.096 million households make up one rating point. Calling
the 2004 Smarty Jones telecast ratings an "anomaly," Russo said
the more accurate comparison would be the immediate years
preceding that year's Preakness.  "The five-year average rating
for 2001-2005 for NBC's broadcasts of the Preakness is a 5.5--a
41% increase o