NBC has finished #1 in adults 18-49 for the primetime week of October 8-14, giving the network wins in each of the season’s first four weeks for the first time since 2002. Led by “Sunday Night Football,” “The Voice,” “Revolution” and “Grimm,” NBC delivered improvements on its year-ago results in 18-49 and total viewers for a fourth time in the season’s four weeks to date, according to “live plus same day” viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research. It’s the first time in six years NBC has delivered gains during each of the season’s first four weeks.
Versus the same week last year, NBC was up by 24 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 2.6 from a 2.1) and 18 in total viewers (7.5 million vs. 6.4 million).
NBC now leads the season by 0.4 of a rating point in 18-49 (with a 3.1 season average vs. a 2.7 for #2 CBS), the second biggest lead for any network at this point in the season in the last nine years (since 2003, behind only the 0.5 lead of CBS in 2010). NBC’s 3.1 is the network’s highest week-four season average in the last five years (since 2007).
NBC has now finished #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49 for seven weeks in a row for the first time since the summer of 2008 and has been #1 or tied for #1 for 11 of the last 13 weeks.
NBC’s Steelers-Bengals “Sunday Night Football” coverage delivered the #1 primetime rating of the week on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in total viewers, adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 and all key adult-male categories. “Sunday Night Football” has now been #1 in 18-49 for seven of seven weeks so far this NFL season.
In 18-49, top NBC programs for the week included “Sunday Night Football (#1), Monday’s “The Voice” (tied for #2), Tuesday’s “The Voice” (#5), Thursday’s NBC News Presidential Debate Analysis (tied for #6) and “Revolution” (tied for #11) (rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows).
“The Voice” was the #1 primetime show of the week on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in women 18-49, women 18-34, teens 12-17 and kids 2-11.
Primetime averages for the week of October 8-14 in adults 18-49 were: NBC, 2.6/7; CBS, 2.5/7; ABC, 2.1/6; Fox, 1.6/5; and CW, 0.7/2. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: CBS, 10.3 million; ABC, 8.0 million; NBC, 7.5 million; Fox, 5.5 million; and CW, 1.8 million.
Season to date averages through four weeks are: NBC, 3.1/9; CBS, 2.7/8; ABC, 2.4/7; Fox, 2.4/7; and CW, 0.6/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 11.3 million; ABC, 8.8 million; NBC, 8.4 million; Fox, 6.5 million; and CW, 1.4 million.
NBC highlights for the week of October 8-14
NBC won Monday among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 for a fifth straight week, with “The Voice” delivering the #1 rating of the night in 18-49 and “Revolution” winning in all key demos among ABC, CBS and NBC at 10 for a fifth week in a row.
Monday’s “The Voice” (4.8 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49, 13.0 million viewers overall) matched its highest 18-49 rating on any night of the week since Monday, March 12 (5.2).
Also on Monday, “Revolution” (3.3/9 in adults 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall) jumped 10 percent week to week in 18-49 rating (to a 3.3 from a 3.0) to hit a three-week-high.
On Tuesday, NBC ranked #1 in all key demographics, as the Tuesday edition of “The Voice” (4.6/13 in 18-49, 12.0 million viewers overall) hit a four-week high in 18-49 rating and scored the #1 rating of the night for entertainment programming. NBC News’ coverage of Tuesday’s Presidential Debate ranked #1 in total viewers and all key demos for the sustaining debate (5.3 rating in 18-49, 13.8 million viewers overall), as well as the rated post-analysis (4.0 rating in 18-49, 11.4 million viewers overall).
Wednesday’s “Guys With Kids” (1.4/4 in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall) has built on its 18-49 lead-in with all four telecasts in the time period to date and the only other 8:30 p.m. ET comedy on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox this season to build on its 18-49 lead-in even once is NBC’s “Up All Night.” In its fourth week, “Guys With Kids” was still running within 12 percent of its September 26 time-slot premiere rating in 18-49 rating (1.6 vs. 1.8) and within 9 percent in total viewers (4.4 million vs. 4.8 million).
Also on Wednesday, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1.6/4 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) improved on NBC’s average in the slot last season by 60 percent in 18-49 rating (1.6 vs. 1.0, L+SD non-sports) and “Chicago Fire” (1.5/4 in 18-49, 5.8 million viewers overall) retained 94 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from “SVU.”
On “Thursday,” “The Office” (2.1/6 in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall) set a season high in total viewers and “Rock Center” (0.9/3 in 18-49 and 3.5 million viewers) delivered its biggest audience since September 20. At 8:30 p.m. ET, Thursday’s “Up All Night” (1.3/4 in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall) jumped week to week by 18 percent in 18-49 rating and built on its lead-in for the first time this season.
Friday’s “Grimm” (1.5/5 in 18-49, 5.0 million viewers overall) captured the #1 18-49 rating of the night for a scripted program on ABC, CBS and NBC and Fox for a fourth straight week. Note that the prior week “Grimm” delivered the highest percentage time-shifting increases of any primetime series on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox when going from these next-day “live plus same day” Nielsens to “live plus three day” figures, growing by 60 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 2.51 from a 1.57) and by 43 percent in total viewers (to 7.1 million from 5.0 million).
Also on Friday, “Dateline NBC” (1.3/4 in 18-49, 5.0 million viewers overall) matched its top Friday 18-49 rating since June 1 and hit a season high in total viewers
NBC won Sunday night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49 and other key demos, as Steelers-Bengals “Sunday Night Football” (6.7/17 in 18-49, 17.5 million viewers overall, 10.7/17 in households) jumped versus the year-ago game by 29 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 6.7 from a 5.2 for Colts-Saints on October 23, 2011) and 40 percent in total viewers (17.5 million vs. 12.5 million). It was the second-best 18-49, total-viewer and household results ever for a week-seven edition of “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, and best ever for a week-seven “SNF” game facing a Major League Baseball League Championship Series game.
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.”
WEEKLY AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category
ADULTS 18-49
NBC 2.6/7, 3.3 million
CBS 2.5/7, 3.1 million
ABC 2.1/6, 2.7 million
Fox 1.6/5, 2.0 million
CW 0.7/2, 0.9 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
CBS 3.3/8, 3.9 million
NBC 3.1/8, 3.7 million
ABC 2.7/7, 3.2 million
Fox 1.9/5, 2.3 million
CW 0.7/2, 0.9 million
Each rating point equals 1.19 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS 3.6/9, 10.3 million
ABC 2.8/7, 8.0 million
NBC 2.6/7, 7.5 million
Fox 1.9/5, 5.5 million
CW 0.6/2, 1.8 million
Each rating point equals 2.89 million viewers
2012-13 SEASON AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category
ADULTS 18-49
NBC 3.1/9, 3.9 million
CBS 2.7/8, 3.4 million
ABC 2.4/7, 3.0 million
Fox 2.4/7, 3.0 million
CW 0.6/2, 0.7 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
NBC 3.6/9, 4.2 million
CBS 3.5/9, 4.2 million
ABC 3.0/8, 3.6 million
Fox 2.6/7, 3.1 million
CW 0.6/2, 0.7 million
Each rating point equals 1.19 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS 3.9/10, 11.3 million
ABC 3.0/8, 8.8 million.
NBC 2.9/7, 8.4 million
Fox 2.3/6, 6.5 million
CW 0.5/1, 1.4 million
Each rating point equals 2.89 million viewers
