NBC season-finale of 'America's Got Talent' wins Wednesday

0

From 8-10 p.m. ET, the season finale of “America’s Got Talent” (3.9/11 in 18-49, 16.4 million viewers overall) delivered the highest rated “Talent” finale in three years in adults 18-49 and the show’s biggest overall audience ever, counting finales and all other telecasts. 


The 3.9 in adults 18-49 is up 11 percent versus last year’s finale and is the highest for a “Talent” conclusion since the second cycle ended with a 4.2/12 on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007.  The 3.9 is also the highest rating for a Wednesday “Talent” since July 5, 2006 during the show’s first cycle.  The 16.4 million persons in total viewers is an increase of 4 percent versus the 15.8 million for last year’s finale, the previous biggest audience ever for “Talent.”

“Talent” scored NBC’s top non-Olympic 18-49 rating in the time period since September 26, 2007 and attracted the biggest overall audience in the time period, excluding Olympics, since November 28, 2001.  From its first half-hour to its fourth, “Talent” increased its 18-49 rating by 62 percent (to a 4.7 from a 2.9) and its overall viewership by 44 percent or 5.9 million persons (19.2 million vs. 13.3 million).

For the full two-hour time period, “America’s Got Talent” is #1 among the major networks in all key ratings categories, despite stiff competition from CBS’s combination of the season premiere of “Survivor” and season finale of “Big Brother” and Fox’s season finale of “Master Chef.”  

At 10 p.m. ET, the strong audience for “America’s Got Talent” provided viewer sampling for a special Wednesday preview of “Outlaw” (2.3/7 in adults 18-49, 10.7 million viewers overall), which finished #2 among the major network in the hour in all key demographics and is #1 in the hour in total viewers. 

Airing against the concluding hour of CBS’s “Big Brother” season finale and ABC’s “Castle” encore, “Outlaw” delivered NBC’s biggest overall audience in the time period, excluding Olympics, since September 16, 2009.  In 18-49 rating, “Outlaw” scored NBC’s top non-sports rating in the time period since May 19.  

“Outlaw” improved by 21 percent on NBC’s 1.9 average in the time period for the traditional 2009-10 season in 18-49 (“live plus same day,” non-sports).  In total viewers, “Outlaw” is up 65 percent or 4.2 million persons versus NBC’s 6.5 million average for the traditional ’09-10 season  (“live plus same day,” non-sports).

“Outlaw” will premiere in its regular Friday 10 p.m. ET slot this week with a rebroadcast of the pilot and original episodes will follow starting Friday, Sept. 24.

 

NOTE: All national ratings are “live plus same day” from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.

(source: NBC)