Spinning small numbers into big moves is pretty common in the tech sector. Seems its also common in the TV business according to Variety:
Put simply, as numbers get smaller, percentages grow bigger. That means when your 0.4 rating becomes a 0.6, viewership has "soared" 50%, even if that shift practically falls within a statistical margin of error, or could represent a couple of people with Nielsen meters ordering take-out pizza instead of going to dinner.
Granted, if most reporters were adept at math, we'd have more respectable jobs, but even Stephen Hawking might be struck dumb by some modern press releases, which slice and dice ratings with the skill of a sushi chef.
(thanks to FH/SFO for flagging...)