NBC has won the primetime week of December 3-9 in adults 18-49, marking the 10th time in 11 weeks the network has ranked #1 or tied for #1 in 18-49 so far this season (and 13th time in 14 weeks overall). It’s the first time in 10 years NBC has held a share of the lead for 10 of the season’s first 11 weeks.
NBC is up 8 percent in adults 18-49 versus the same week last year (with a 2.6 rating vs. a 2.4) and up 6 percent in total viewers (7.8 million vs. 7.3 million).
Season to date, NBC is #1 in 18-49, marking the first time the network has ranked #1 at the point in the season in nine years (since 2003). NBC is up 23 percent versus one year ago in adults 18-49 (with a 3.2 average rating versus last year’s 2.6). In total viewers, NBC is up 20 percent (8.9 million vs. 7.4 million). NBC is ahead of its year-ago season average by double-digit percentages in every key ratings category.
For the season, NBC leads #2 CBS in adults 18-49 by 0.4 of a rating point (with a 3.2 rating vs. a 2.8). It’s the biggest lead for any network at this point in the season in nine years (since NBC led by 0.4 at this point in 2003).
NBC delivered three of the week’s top seven primetime programs on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49. “Sunday Night Football” ranked #1 for the week in adults 18-49, Monday’s “The Voice” was #4 and Tuesday’s “Voice” was tied for #6 (rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows). Also among the top-rated shows in 18-49 last week were “Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas” (#19), “Go On” (#23) and “The Office’ (tied for #30).
“Sunday Night Football” was the #1 primetime show of the week on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-34,18-49 and 25-54, total viewers, households and all key adult-male demos.
“Sunday Night Football” has been the #1 primetime show of the week in adults 18-49 during all 14 weeks of the NFL season to date and has been #1 in total viewers for 12 of 14 weeks and the last six in a row.
For the season to date, NBC’s schedule features four of primetime’s top eight programs on the broadcast nets (“Sunday Night Football,” #1; Monday’s “The Voice,” #4; “Revolution” #5; and Tuesday’s “The Voice,” tied for #7). NBC’s schedule features the #1 show overall (“SNF”), the #1 drama on the broadcast networks and #1 new show (“Revolution”), the #1 new comedy (“Go On”) and #1 Friday series (“Grimm”) (sports pre- and post-game shows are excluded from these rankings).
Primetime averages for the week of December 3-9 in adults 18-49 are: NBC, 2.6/7; Fox, 2.3/7; CBS, 2.3/6; ABC, 1.5/5; and CW, 0.6/2. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: CBS, 9.4 million; NBC, 7.8 million; Fox, 6.1 million; ABC, 5.7 million; and CW, 1.6 million.
Season to date averages through eight weeks are: NBC, 3.2/9; CBS, 2.8/8; ABC, 2.5/7; Fox, 2.5/7; and CW, 0.8/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 11.6 million; ABC, 9.0 million; NBC, 8.9 million; Fox, 6.9 million; and CW, 1.9 million.
NBC highlights for the week of December 3-9
Monday: NBC finished #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for the night in 18-49, winning six of six half-hours among those networks to give NBC 11 consecutive in-season Monday wins for the first time in the 25-year history of Nielsen’s people meter sample.
“The Voice” (3.9 rating, 10 share in adults 18-49, 12.1 million viewers overall) delivered the #1 rating of the night in adults 18-49, making it Monday’s top entertainment telecast for a 13th week in a row. “The Voice” was up 11 percent in 18-49 versus its rating for the fifth Monday live telecast of its prior cycle (3.5 on April 30).
At 10:01 p.m. ET, “Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas” (2.7/7 in adults 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) led the hour among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and improved on NBC’s average in the time period last season by 69 percent in 18-49 rating (2.7 vs. 1.6, L+SD non-sports) and 74 percent in total viewers (8.882 million vs. 5.106 million).
“Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas” is tied for the #3 Christmas special of the season to date on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49, just 0.2 of a point behind ABC’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and CBS’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (2.9 each) and tied with NBC’s “SNL Christmas” (2.7).
Tuesday: “The Voice” (3.5/10 in 18-49, 11.5 million viewers overall) won the 8-9 p.m. ET hour in adults 18-49 and total viewers and delivered the night’s #1 result in total viewers. “The Voice” was up by 10 percent versus its 18-49 rating for the comparable results show from the prior cycle (3.1 from 9-10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1) and up 29 percent in total viewers (11.5 million vs. 8.9 million).
At 9 p.m. ET, “Go On” (2.4/7 in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers) won the half-hour in 18-49 and delivered its biggest total viewership since September 25.
At 9:31 p.m. ET, “The New Normal” (1.7/4 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in the time period in 18-49 and matched its highest 18-49 rating since November 13.
At 10:01 p.m. ET, “Parenthood” (1.8/5 in 18-49, 5.0 million in total viewers) matched its highest 18-49 rating since November 13 and delivered its biggest overall audience since the show’s season premiere attracted 5.5 million viewers on September 11.
Wednesday: “Chicago Fire” (1.9/5 in adults 18-49, 7.2 million viewers overall) tied for #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and led its hour outright among those networks in total viewers and adults 25-54. Versus its prior telecast on November 21, “Chicago Fire” jumped 36 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.9 from a 1.4) and up 30 percent in total viewers (7.2 million vs. 5.5 million) to set a series record in total viewers and match the show’s second-best 18-49 rating to date.
“Chicago Fire” is the only new drama on ABC, CBS, NBC or CW this season to top its premiere-episode total viewership with any subsequent telecast, and it’s now done it twice, with the 7.2 million on December 5 and the 7.0 million on November 7 both beating the 6.6 million the show did with its October 10 premiere.
At 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1.6/4 in adults 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) jumped by 23 percent versus the show’s prior telecast in 18-49 rating, while at 8 p.m. ET, “Whitney” (1.3/4 in 18-49, 3.9 million viewers overall) grew by 18 percent and at 8:30, “Guys With Kids” (1.4/4 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall) was up 27 percent. “Guys With Kids” matched its highest 18-49 rating since October 3.
Thursday: Versus the prior week, “The Office” (2.1/6 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) grew by 11 percent in 18-49 rating, “Parks and Recreation” (1.5/4 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall) improved by 7 percent and “Rock Center with Brian Williams” (1.0/3 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall) was up by 11 percent.
Friday: NBC ranked #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for the night in adults 18-49 with the #1 telecast on those networks, “Dateline NBC” (1.7/5 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall), plus “SNL Christmas” (1.5/5 in adults 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall), which tied for #1 among those networks from 8-10 p.m. ET. “Dateline NBC” reported its highest 18-49 rating since September 23, 2011 (2.0) and its biggest overall audience since June 1, 2012 (6.1 million).
Sunday: NBC led Sunday night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in all key categories: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers and households with Lions-Packers “Sunday Night Football” (7.8/19 in 18-49, 21.4 million viewers overall, 12.8/19 in households). “SNF” scored its highest 18-49 rating since November 11 and top total-viewer and household results since November 4.
Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data from Nielsen Media Research 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
Fox 2.3/7, 2.9 million
CBS 2.3/6, 2.9 million
ABC 1.5/5, 1.9 million
CW 0.6/2, 0.8 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
NBC 3.1/8, 3.6 million
CBS 3.0/7, 3.6 million
Fox 2.6/6, 3.1 million
ABC 1.9/5, 2.3 million
CW 0.7/2, 0.8 million
Each rating point equals 1.19 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS 3.2/8, 9.4 million
NBC 2.7/7, 7.8 million
Fox 2.1/5, 6.1 million
ABC 2.0/5, 5.7 million
CW 0.6/1, 1.6 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 3.2/9, 4.0 million
CBS 2.8/8, 3.6 million
ABC 2.5/7, 3.2 million
Fox 2.5/7, 3.1 million
CW 0.8/2, 1.0 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
CBS 3.7/9, 4.4 million
NBC 3.7/9, 4.4 million
ABC 3.1/8, 3.7 million
Fox 2.8/7, 3.3 million
CW 0.8/2, 1.0 million
Each rating point equals 1.19 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS 4.0/10, 11.6 million
ABC 3.1/8, 9.0 million.
NBC 3.1/8, 8.9 million
Fox 2.4/6, 6.9 million
CW 0.7/2, 1.9 million
Each rating point equals 2.89 million viewers
