NBC’s late-night lineup has won the week of September 13-17 to wrap up a victorious third quarter in which “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” claimed its hour over all cable and broadcast competition in adults 18-49 and total viewers and out-delivered CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s combination of “Nightline” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in all key ratings categories.
At 12:35 a.m. ET, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” also led the hour in the third quarter over all cable and broadcast competition in 18-49 viewers and delivered bigger audiences than CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and ABC’s “Kimmel” in all key ratings categories: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as total viewers.
Through the quarter, Jay ranked #1 every week versus “Late Show” in adult 18-49 viewers and total viewers (excluding the week of Wimbledon delays), while Jimmy Fallon finished #1 every week versus “Late Late Show” in 18-49 viewers and total viewers (excluding Wimbledon week).
In adults 18-49 for the third quarter, Jay’s audience was 32 percent bigger than “Late Show’s” (1.301 million vs. 983,000), in total viewers, Jay won by 30 percent (3.845 million vs. 2.966) and in adults 18-34, the margin was 47 percent (488,000 vs. 333,000). In adults 18-49, Jimmy Fallon’s third-quarter audience was 35 percent bigger than “Late Late Show’s” (769,000 vs. 571,000), in total viewers, the “Late Night” advantage was 13 percent (1.645 million vs. 1.460 million) and in adults 18-34, Jimmy’s margin was 46 percent (322,000 vs. 220,000).
Jay and Jimmy both stretched their margins over “Late Show” and “Late Late Show” versus where they stood in the second quarter. Jay’s margins of 32 percent in adults 18-49 and 30 percent in total viewers are up from a 23 percent margin in each category in the second quarter over “Late Show.” Jimmy’s 35 percent win in 18-49 is up from a 14 percent win over “Late Late Show” in the second quarter and his 13 percent advantage in total viewers reverses a four percent win by “Late Late Show” in the second quarter. The third-quarter margins are also bigger for “Tonight” and “Late Night” than they were in the first quarter of 2010 and the fourth quarter of 2009.
For the quarter at 1:35 a.m. ET, “Last Call with Carson Daly” (0.4 rating in 18-49, 0.3 in 18-34) tied ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and CBS’s “Late Late Show” in adult 18-49 and adult 18-34 rating.
WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of September 13-17. Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date and third-quarter 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,” 0.9 rating, 4 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.6/3 (in encore telecasts)
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,” 0.4/3 (in encore telecasts)
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.9 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 2.5 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
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,” 1.7 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.3 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.0 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
* Friday’s “Kimmel” was an encore.
THIRD QUARTER 2010
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 1.0/4
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 with Jimmy Fallon,” 0.6/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.4/3
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,” 3.8 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.0 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.4 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 with Jimmy Fallon,” 1.6 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.5 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.9 million viewers
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,” 0.5/3
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 Show with Jay Leno,” 4.1 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.7 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.7 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 SEPTEMBER 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
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.8
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.5
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
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.8 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.2 million
(source: NBC)
