NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” has won the week of August 2-6 in adults 18-49 and total viewers over all cable and broadcast competition, delivering bigger audiences than CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s combination of “Nightline” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in every key ratings category: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as total viewers. Note that “Late Show” and “Kimmel” were encores on Friday.
At 12:35 a.m. ET, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” also attracted bigger audiences than CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and ABC’s “Kimmel” in every key ratings category.
In adults 18-49, Jay’s audience was 41 percent bigger than the average for the mostly original week of “Late Show” (1.287 million vs. 914,000), in total viewers, Jay won by 36 percent (3.850 million vs. 2.834 million) and in adults 18-34, his margin was 50 percent (465,000 vs. 309,000). In adults 18-49, Jimmy Fallon’s audience was 37 percent bigger than “Late Late Show’s” (745,000 vs. 544,000), in total viewers, the “Late Night” advantage was 16 percent (1.630 million vs. 1.411 million) and in adults 18-34, Jimmy’s margin was 31 percent (301,000 vs. 230,000).
It was Jay’s biggest margin over a week of mostly original “Late Shows” in 22 weeks (since the week of March 1-5, Jay’s first week back hosting “Tonight”) in adult 18-49 viewers.
Jimmy Fallon generated his biggest margin over “Late Late Show” in 16 weeks (since the week of April 12-16) in adult 18-49 viewers and in 20 weeks in total viewers (since March 15-19).
To date, Jay Leno has ranked #1 for 22 of 22 weeks versus “Late Show” in adult 18-49 rating and total viewers (including one tie in 18-49) since returning as host of “Tonight” on March 1 (excluding the week of Wimbledon delays). Jimmy Fallon has ranked #1 or tied for #1 versus “Late Late Show” for 23 weeks in a row in 18-49 rating (excluding Wimbledon week). In total viewers, Jimmy has won five weeks in a row.
WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of August 2-6. 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,” 1.0 rating, 4 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.7/3*
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 0.8/3
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.4/2*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 0.6/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.4/2
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.3/2 (in encore telecasts)
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.9 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 2.8 million viewers*
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.3 million viewers
12:05-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.5 million viewers*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 1.6 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.4 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.9 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
* Friday’s “Late Show” and “Kimmel” were encores.
SEASON TO DATE
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 1.1/5
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 with Jimmy Fallon,” 0.6/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.6/3
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 Show with Jay Leno,” 4.2 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.7 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.8 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 with Jimmy Fallon,” 1.6 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.8 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.9 million viewers
SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF AUGUST 2-6
NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, “The Daily Show,” 0.8
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 0.6
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.9
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.5
Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.32 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. “The Daily Show,” 1.8
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 1.2
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 2.2 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.2 million
(source: NBC)
