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Iowa-Ohio State gives CBS first CFB regular-season ratings weekend win since 2023. The last time CBS topped the ratings chart, Alabama defeated LSU in primetime before SEC rights left for ESPN/ABC. Less AI and more AA in your search results. Iowa and Ohio State averaged just shy of six million viewers on CBS, which might not be among the biggest college football game audiences this season, but it was enough to give the network its first weekend ratings win in almost three years. Per CBS, the highly anticipated Big Ten matchup averaged 5.966 million viewers, peaking at about seven million. That beat a trio of games on ABC that day, including Alabama vs. Mississippi State (5.1 million), Miami vs. Clemson (4.6 million), and Florida vs. Missouri (4.4 million). Other top ratings figures from this past weekend include Fox's Big Noon matchup between Michigan and Minnesota (4.1 million), Fox's Penn State vs. Northwestern broadcast (3.4 million), Auburn vs. Tennessee on ESPN (3.02 million), Notre Dame and UNC on ESPN (2.98 million), and NBC's presentation of Washington vs. USC (2.6 million). It marks the first time since Week 10 of the 2023 season that CBS has had a game at the top of the college football weekend. On November 4, No. 8 Alabama defeated No. 13 LSU in primetime, drawing 8.82 million viewers for what became the sixth-most-watched game of the 2023 college football regular season across all networks. It might not amount to too much by the time Ohio State-Michigan and several late-season SEC showdowns take the top TV number spots, but it's still a noteworthy notch for CBS, which, along with Fox, has been losing the battle against ESPN and ABC ever since the SEC jumped ship from CBS to them. Ironically, CBS may owe the extra boost to ESPN. The Worldwide Leader sent College GameDay to Iowa City this weekend instead of one of the games on its network or ABC. GameDay posted big numbers of its own, drawing 2.9 million viewers (and a final hour of 3.7 million), many of whom were likely influenced to watch the game later. For years, the SEC on CBS was the juggernaut of college football ratings, but when the league left for ESPN and CBS signed the Big Ten instead, that reign ended. It's no wonder the Tiffany Network hasn't topped the charts in so long. CBS probably shouldn't get too cozy up there. ABC has The Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m., not to mention No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 6 Alabama on Saturday night in primetime. CBS has a perfectly solid matchup between No. 13 Oregon and UCLA, but that's simply no match from an audience perspective.

FOX deepens investment in the creator economy, expanding leadership team to accelerate FOX Creator Studios. Bryan Thoensen named Senior Vice President, Content Partnerships and Kirsten McAuliffe joins as Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Growth. Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY - WEBWIRE - Monday, October 5, 2026 Fox Corporation today announced the appointments of Bryan Thoensen as Senior Vice President, Content Partnerships, FOX Creator Studios, reporting to Billy Parks, Head of FOX Creator Studios and Kirsten McAuliffe as Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Growth, reporting to Katrina Cukaj, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Advertising Sales. These newly created leadership roles reflect FOX's ongoing investment in the creator economy and further strengthen its ability to connect creators, premium content and advertisers through scalable, innovative partnerships. Together, Thoensen and McAuliffe join a senior team of creator economy pioneers with decades of collective experience, who have helped build and shape the industry since its earliest days. They will help expand FOX Creator Studios' mission to develop creator-led entertainment, build long-term creator franchises and create premium advertising opportunities that deliver value for both creators and brands. "Creators are building the next generation of entertainment businesses, and we're building FOX Creator Studios to help them scale," said Billy Parks, Head of FOX Creator Studios. "Bryan brings an exceptional combination of creative vision, partnership expertise and commercial instinct that will help creators grow their brands while developing premium entertainment opportunities for advertisers." "As creator-led entertainment continues to become a larger part of advertisers' marketing strategies, we have a tremendous opportunity to connect our advertising partners with authentic creator communities in meaningful ways," said Katrina Cukaj, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Advertising Sales. "Kirsten's deep experience in building strategic partnerships and commercializing creator-led businesses will help us expand these opportunities and establish FOX as the premier destination for brands looking to invest in the creator economy." As Senior Vice President, Content Partnerships at FOX Creator Studios, Thoensen will lead the strategic development and execution of creator-led content franchises across the studio. Working closely with creators, development teams and advertising partners, he will help shape premium, advertiser-ready formats, architecting innovative content partnerships that balance creative authenticity with commercial opportunity. Thoensen brings deep experience in content and partnerships from senior roles at leading global platforms. As Head of Content Partnerships at TikTok, he oversaw content across the platform's community of creators, public figures, media publishers and NGOs, and at Spotify he led content partnerships for its growing community of podcast creators. Prior to that, Thoensen led the commercialization of Originals and Exclusives at Hulu, and at Fullscreen he spearheaded original entertainment for the multi-channel network, launching the Gen Z media brand Hello Lab in partnership with AT&T. As Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Growth, McAuliffe will lead the commercial strategy for FOX Creator Studios, serving as the strategic link between creator-led content and FOX Advertising Sales. She will oversee go-to-market strategy, revenue development and advertiser partnerships while helping transform creator IP into scalable advertising, licensing and franchise opportunities across the FOX portfolio. McAuliffe is a media and brand partnerships executive with deep expertise in building commercial strategies that connect premium content, global intellectual property, and world-class brands. Having held leadership roles at Moonbug Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery - including flagship properties such as Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, and CNN - she has helped transform how advertisers engage with audiences across television, streaming, digital, social, experiential, and creator ecosystems. The appointments underscore FOX's broader commitment to investing in the creator economy through FOX Creator Studios, creating a powerful model that helps creators expand their businesses while giving advertisers new ways to connect with passionate communities through authentic, premium storytelling. About FOX Creator Studios FOX Creator Studios, a division of FOX Entertainment, partners with the world's most influential and prolific creators, combining FOX's scale, infrastructure and expertise with creator innovation to bring bold ideas to life as premium IP, original formats and enduring entertainment brands. The newly established studio is platform agnostic, working with digital-native talent to expand their ideas and brands across YouTube, linear television, streaming, film, the digital storytelling ecosystem and beyond. About Fox Corporation Fox Corporation produces and distributes compelling news, sports and entertainment content through its primary iconic domestic brands, including FOX News Media, FOX Sports, Tubi Media Group, FOX Entertainment and FOX Television Stations. These brands hold cultural significance with consumers and commercial importance for distributors and advertisers. The breadth and depth of our footprint allows us to deliver content that engages and informs audiences, develop deeper consumer relationships and create more compelling product offerings. FOX maintains an impressive track record of news, sports and entertainment industry success that shapes our strategy to capitalize on existing strengths and invest in new initiatives. For more information about Fox Corporation, please visit www.FoxCorporation.com. WebWireID361426 This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted. 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