"48 HOURS: OPERATION MURDER" IS SATURDAY'S #1 NON-SPORTS PROGRAM WITH VIEWERS FOR THIRD WEEK THIS SEASON

"48 Hours" Posts Audience Growth Week-to-Week

48 HOURS was Saturday's #1 non-sports program for the third week of the season, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Oct. 14. The broadcast also posted week-to-week gains in viewers and adults 25-54, the demographic most desirable to those who advertise in news.

48 HOURS: "Operation Murder" delivered 3.78 million viewers and a 0.8/03 with adults 25-54. Compared to the previous week, 48 HOURS was up +14% in adults 25-54 (from 0.7/03), and added +70,000 viewers (from 3.71m, +2%).

Saturday's broadcast featured Peter Van Sant and 48 HOURS' investigation into the alleged murder-for-hire plot launched by two Houston doctors and their relationship with a former U.S. Army soldier who pretended to take a hit job. Valerie McDaniel, a veterinarian, and Leon Jacob, a surgeon, quickly fell in love and even talked of marriage. Jacob was an up-and-coming doctor. She was newly single after getting a divorce from her ex-husband Marion "Mack" McDaniel. But there were some problems. The McDaniels were in the midst of an ugly custody battle, while Jacob was facing felony charges for stalking an ex-girlfriend. If found guilty on those charges, it could have upended his medical career. Houston Police say that's when Jacob sought the help of Moataz Azzeh, someone he thought was a hit man to eliminate the problems.

Instead, Azzeh would go on to help the Houston Police undercover agents with the case, which included staging the deaths of the intended targets.

"Operation Murder" explored the case against McDaniel and Jacob, and the elaborate sting operation the Houston Police department used to arrest the couple. The broadcast included an audio diary McDaniel began after her release on bail, police bodycam footage of the sting, and an interview with Jacob. Sixteen days after McDaniel was released, Houston police say she took her life by jumping from the seventh floor of her apartment. Jacob has pleaded not guilty. He is in jail awaiting trial.

48 HOURS: "Operation Murder" is produced by Susan Mallie, Judy Rybak, Ryan Smith and Claire St. Amant. Marcus Balsam, Michael Vele and David Spungen are the editors. Anthony Batson is the senior broadcast producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Susan Zirinsky is the senior executive producer.

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