HBO Carnivale Finale Nets Decent Ratings

The Nov. 30 finale of Home Box Office's dark miniseries, Carnivale, drew a modest 7.4 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The season-ending performance of the 12-episode series -- chronicling a 1930s Dust Bowl-era traveling carnival troupe and the forces of good and evil -- was well below the series' Sept. 14 premiere rating of 10.6. The finale, though, did match the average 7.4 rating for the series, HBO executives said.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.