Comcast’s effort to run its own NBC affiliate in Boston from an over-the-air station in New Hampshire appears to have initially backfired, causing the ratings to hit rock bottom with fewer than 10,000 viewers aged 25-54 watching the station’s 6pm local newscast.

In its first month as an NBC station, WBTS-TV’s local newscasts scored in the ratings about as well as an infomercial, coming in last place for most of its newscasts in all the ratings demographics that count with advertisers. NBC Boston’s 5pm local newscast averaged only 5,555 viewers aged 25-54. Its 6pm local news only attracted 9,340. In contrast, NBC’s former home in Boston – WHDH, managed to bring in 26,791 and 30,999 viewers for its two evening newscasts. Despite that, the NBC affiliation loss still hurt WHDH, which dropped to second place in the Boston market for some of its newscasts.

But a ratings collapse hurt WBTS even more, considering most locals watch the station over Comcast Cable and don’t have trouble finding NBC on the cable dial. Cord-cutters have to contend with challenging reception, especially in areas south of Boston. In response to viewer complaints, Comcast’s David Cohen said the cable company temporarily bought a digital subchannel on WMFP-TV, the full power Boston affiliate of preacher Jimmy Swaggart’s Sonlife Broadcasting Network.

Comcast’s long-term solution to solving its reception problems in Boston? Cohen told Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) the cable company would eventually buy another full-power TV station in or around Boston.