Dolly Parton Tributes Score Big Ratings for the Networks; ABC’s ‘9 to 5’ Airing Is Most-Watched Broadcast Movie in More Than Three Years

By Michael Schneider

Michael Schneider

Variety Editor at Large

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Dolly Parton continues to be a beloved icon — if ratings for the recent tribute specials across four different networks are any indication. ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW all attracted decent-sized crowds for quickly-scheduled specials that aired in late August — not particularly a time for major viewership.

Among the highlights, ABC aired a repeat of the 1980 film “9 to 5” (a rarity in itself, for a broadcast network to run a movie that old) on Sunday, Aug. 30 that averaged 4.275 million viewers in live+same day ratings — the most-watched film on a broadcast network in more than three and a half years (since December 2022). It was also the most-watched film on ABC in nearly six years, since Dec. 20, 2020 (another classic, “The Sound of Music”).

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