NBC is closing out the traditional 2012-13 primetime TV season running within a tenth of a rating point of second place in adults 18-49, NBC’s most competitive position at the end of a season in nine years.
With results for the primetime week of May 13-19 bringing the networks within three days of the season’s conclusion, NBC is running a tenth of a point behind #2 Fox, a dramatic improvement versus one year ago, when, even with the boost of the Super Bowl, NBC trailed then-#1 Fox by 0.7 of a point and #2 CBS by 0.5 of a point.
Excluding Olympic years, this is the first time since the 2005-06 season that a network has followed up a Super Bowl season with an 18-49 decline of just 0.1 of a rating point. NBC also finished down just a tenth during the 2009-10 season, the year after carrying the Super Bowl, but had Olympic help that season. Every other network that’s carried a Super Bowl over the last seven years has declined the following season by at least 0.3 of a rating point the following season. In 2005-06, Fox broke even the year after carrying the Super Bowl and is the last network to do so.
NBC is #3 for the 2012-13 season and ahead of ABC outright for the first time in the nine years since NBC won the 2003-04 season. NBC tied ABC for #3 last season with help from the Super Bowl (rounding to a tie in “live plus seven day” ratings after edging ABC in initial “most current” results) and NBC also tied ABC for #3 during 2009-10 season with Olympic help. Note that this year, NBC is cleanly rating ahead of ABC with no Super Bowl or Olympic boost.
In the nine years since NBC won the 2003-04 season, the closest NBC had come to #2 before this season was five years ago, when the network finished 0.2 of a point behind the second-place tie of ABC and CBS during the strike season of 2007-08 (with a 2.8 vs. a 3.0 for ABC and CBS). Excluding the strike season, NBC hasn’t finished closer than 0.4 of a point to second place over the last nine seasons.
Season to Date Adults 18-49 vs. Last Year, “Most Current”
Net…Season to Date 2011-12… Season to Date 2012-13…Diff
NBC…2.5…2.4…Down 4%
CBS…3.0…2.9…Down 3%
ABC…2.4…2.2…Down 8%
Fox…3.2…2.5…Down 22%
Season to Date Total Viewers vs. Last Year, “Most Current”
Net…Season to Date 2011-12… Season to Date 2012-13…Diff
NBC…7.407 million …6.964 million…Down 6%
CBS…11.747 million…11.856 million…Up 1%
ABC…8.359 million …7.846 million…Down 6%
Fox…8.880 million …7.058 million…Down 21%
For the April 25-May 22 Nielsen May sweep, NBC is poised to deliver its most competitive May finish in nine years. With three nights of the 25-night period left to count, NBC is running within just 0.2 of a rating point of #1. It’s the first time in nine years NBC is finishing a May sweep within less than 0.8 of a rating point of first place.
This May versus last, NBC is matching its year-ago rating in adults 18-49 rating while ABC, CBS and Fox are all down by double-digit percentages.
May Sweep Adults 18-49 vs. May 2012, Live Plus Same Day
Net…May 2012… May 2013…Diff
NBC…1.6…1.6…Even
CBS…2.1…1.8…Down 14%
ABC…2.0…1.7…Down 15%
Fox…2.2…1.8…Down 18%
May Sweep Total Viewers vs. May 2012, Live Plus Same Day
Net…May 2012… May 2013…Diff
NBC…5.217 million …5.197 million…Down 0.4%
CBS…9.843 million…8.804 million…Down 11%
ABC…7.402 million …6.754 million…Down 9%
Fox…6.829 million …5.613 million…Down 18%
During the May sweep, NBC’s audience was significantly younger than ABC’s and CBS’s and just 1.4 years older than Fox’s. NBC’s audience also had the best year-to-year comparisons among the Big 4 networks, 0.7 years younger than last May..
2013 May Sweep Median Ages
Net…May 2012…May 2013
NBC…52.0…51.3
CBS…58.4…58.3
ABC…53.9…55.0
Fox…49.1…49.9
CW…37.1…42.7
