NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” has won the week of August 30-September 3 in adults 18-49 and total viewers over all cable and broadcast competition, delivering bigger audiences than CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s combination of “Nightline” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in every key ratings category: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as total viewers. Note that “Kimmel” was in rebroadcast last week.
Jay generated his biggest 18-49 audience in eight weeks (since the week of July 5-9), his biggest overall audience in five weeks (since July 26-30) and his biggest adult 18-34 audience in 15 weeks (since May 17-21).
At 12:35 a.m. ET, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” also attracted bigger audiences than CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” in every key ratings category. Jimmy delivered his biggest 18-49, 18-34 and overall audiences in three weeks (since the week of August 9-13).
To date, Jay Leno has ranked #1 for 26 of 26 weeks versus “Late Show” in adult 18-49 rating and total viewers (including one tie in 18-49) since returning as host of “Tonight” on March 1 (excluding the week of Wimbledon delays). Jimmy Fallon has ranked #1 or tied for #1 versus “Late Late Show” for 27 weeks in a row in 18-49 rating (excluding Wimbledon week). In total viewers, Jimmy has won nine weeks in a row.
In adults 18-49 for the week, Jay’s audience was 36 percent bigger than “Late Show’s” (1.325 million vs. 973,000), in total viewers, Jay won by 32 percent (3.897 million vs. 2.962 million) and in adults 18-34, his margin was 51 percent (529,000 vs. 351,000). In adults 18-49, Jimmy Fallon’s audience was 38 percent bigger than “Late Late Show’s” (782,000 vs. 566,000), in total viewers, the “Late Night” advantage was 14 percent (1.651 million vs. 1.445 million) and in adults 18-34, Jimmy’s margin was 55 percent (330,000 vs. 213,000). Jimmy’s 55 percent margin over “Late Late Show” in 18-49 is his biggest in 24 weeks (since the week of March 15-19).
For the week at 1:35 a.m. ET, encore telecasts of “Last Call with Carson Daly” (0.4 rating in 18-49, 0.3 in 18-34) tied CBS’s originals of “Late Late Show” and ABC’s “Kimmel” encores in adult 18-49 rating and adult 18-34 rating. In total viewers, “Last Call” averaged 980,000 persons last week, its biggest overall audience in 15 weeks (since May 17-21).
WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of August 30 – September 3. Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of “live plus seven day” data except for the two most recent weeks, which are “live plus same day.”)
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 1.0 rating, 4 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.7/3
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 0.8/3
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.4/2 (in encore telecasts)
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 0.6/3*
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.4/3
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.4/3 (in encore telecasts)
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.9 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.0 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.5 million viewers
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.5 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 1.7 million viewers*
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.4 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.0 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
* Monday’s “Late Night” was an encore.
SEASON TO DATE
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 1.1/4
CBS “Late Show,” 0.9/4
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 1.0/4
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.5/3
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” 0.6/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.6/3
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.4/3
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 4.1 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.7 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.7 million viewers
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.6 million viewers
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” 1.6 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.8 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.9 million viewers
SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 3
NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, “The Daily Show,” 0.6
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 0.4
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.8
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.5
Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.32 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. “The Daily Show,” 1.1
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 0.8
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.9 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.2 million
(source: NBC)
