NBC’s late-night lineup has dominated the ratings week of December 13-17, as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” topped all cable and broadcast entertainment competition in their time periods in viewers 18-49 and total viewers.
Jay delivered his biggest overall audience — 4.2 million viewers — in more than eight months and Jimmy amassed his biggest overall audience — 1.9 million viewers — in nine months.
Jay beat CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s combination of “Nightline” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in the time period in every key ratings category — adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers — and Jimmy Fallon likewise out-delivered CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and Kimmel in every key ratings category.
“Tonight” and “Late Night” dramatically improved on their year-ago positions relative to CBS’s “Late Show” and “Late Late Show.” “Tonight” won the week over “Late Show” by a 22 percent margin in viewers 18-49 (1.402 million vs. 1.149 million), up from a 3 percent win for the same week last year (1.448 million vs. 1.404 million). Jimmy Fallon topped “Late Late Show” for the week by 25 percent (861,000 vs. 689,000), up from last year’s 3 percent (855,000 vs. 830,000).
Jay’s 4.242 million viewers overall last week is his highest since the week of March 22-26 (4.374 million) and Jimmy’s 1.948 million viewers is his best since a slightly higher average for the week of March 1-5 (1.949 million).
Versus the first 13 weeks of last season, “Tonight” is matching its year-ago 1.0 rating in adults 18-49 and is running within 6 percent of its year-ago 18-49 viewership (1.279 million vs. 1.367 million), while “Late Show” is down 10 percent in rating (0.9 vs. 1.0) and down 14 percent in 18-49 viewers (1.169 million vs. 1.359 million). At 12:35 a.m. ET, Jimmy Fallon is matching his year-ago 0.6 rating in adults 18-49 and is virtually equaling last year in 18-49 viewers (799,000 vs. 802,000), while “Late Late Show” is down in rating by 17 percent (0.5 vs. 0.6) and down in 18-49 viewers by 13 percent (688,000 vs. 800,000).
In total viewers, “Tonight” is up 52 percent versus its average viewership for the first 13 weeks of last season (3.851 million vs. 2.539 million), while “Late Show” is down 15 percent (3.579 million vs. 4.212 million). At 12:35 a.m. ET, Jimmy Fallon is up 26 percent versus his year-ago pace in total viewers (1.749 million vs. 1.392 million), while “Late Late Show” is down 8 percent (1.778 million vs. 1.942 million).
At 1:35 a.m. ET, “Last Call with Carson Daly” is up so far this season by 9 percent in 18-49 viewers (493,000 vs. 451,000) and up 23 percent in total viewers (989,000 vs. 801,000).
WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of December 13-17. 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,” 1.1 rating, 4 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.9/4
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 0.9/4
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.5/3*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 0.7/4
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.5/3
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,” 4.2 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.6 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.9 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,” 1.9 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.7 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.1 million viewers*
* Monday’s “Last Call” and Friday’s “Kimmel” were encores.
SEASON TO DATE
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 1.0 rating, 4 share
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,” 0.6/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.5/3
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,” 3.9 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.6 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.9 million viewers
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.7 million viewers
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 1.7 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.8 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.0 million viewers
SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF DECEMBER 13-17:
NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, “The Daily Show,” 0.7
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 0.6
TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, “Conan,” 0.7
TBS, midnight-1 a.m., “Lopez Tonight,” 0.4
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.9
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.6
Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.31 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. “The Daily Show,” 1.6 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 1.2 million
TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, “Conan,” 1.3 million
TBS, midnight-1 a.m., “Lopez Tonight,” 0.7 million
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.9 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.3 million
(source: NBC)
