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Via NBC's Press Release
‘TONIGHT’ AND ‘LATE NIGHT’ DELIVER BIGGER 18-49 AND TOTAL-VIEWER AUDIENCES THAN THE ABC AND CBS TIME-PERIOD COMPETITION
SEASON TO DATE, JAY HAS STRETCHED HIS TOTAL-VIEWER LEAD OVER ‘Late Show’ TO 15 PERCENT FROM THE YEAR-AGO 8 PERCENT AND JIMMY FALLON HAS INCREASED HIS MARGIN OVER ‘LATE Late Show’ TO 15 PERCENT FROM 0.3 PERCENT
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – April 19, 2012 – NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” has delivered #1 rankings in viewers 18-49 and total viewers for the week of April 9-13, generating bigger audiences in adults 18-49 and total viewers than its time-period competition of CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" and ABC's combination of "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
At 12:35 a.m. ET, NBC’s "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" ranked #1 ahead of CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and head to head versus ABC’s "Kimmel" in viewers 18-49 and total viewers, delivering bigger audiences than “Late Late Show” in every key ratings category: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.
At 1:35 a.m. ET, NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” delivered an 11 percent gain versus the same week last year in total viewers, with an average of 995,000 persons versus the year-ago 897,000.
Through the first 30 weeks of the season, "Tonight" has increased its total-viewer margin over "Late Show" to 15 percent (3.747 million vs. 3.264 million), up from the year-ago season-to-date advantage of 8 percent. Jimmy Fallon has also established a total-viewer lead over "Late Late Show" this season of 15 percent (1.780 million vs. 1.545 million), up from last year's advantage of 0.3 percent. Jimmy has also increased his season-to-date lead over "Late Late Show" in adults 18-34, to 40 percent (278,000 vs. 199,000) up from last year's 23 percent, and in adults 25-54, up to 10 percent (874,000 vs. 792,000) up from 2 percent at this point last season.
"Tonight" delivered a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Show" for the 14th time in 17 weeks while Jimmy Fallon attracted a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Late Show" for a 20th week in a row.
WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of April 9-13. 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.”)
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 0.8 rating, 3 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.7/3
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC “Nightline,” 1.0/4
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.5/2*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 0.5/3
CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.4/2
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 0.3/2*
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.4 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 2.9 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC “Nightline,” 4.0 million viewers
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.9 million viewers*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 1.6 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.3 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.0 million viewers*
* Friday’s “Last Call” and “Kimmel” were encores.
SEASON TO DATE
ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 0.9 rating, 3 share
CBS “Late Show,” 0.9/3
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC “Nightline,” 0.9/3
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 0.5/2
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,” 0.3/2
TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.7 million viewers
CBS “Late Show,” 3.3 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC “Nightline,” 3.9 million viewers
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.8 million viewers
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Late Night,” 1.8 million viewers
CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.5 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC “Last Call,” 1.0 million viewers
SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF APRIL 9-13
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,” 0.5
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 1.28 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. “The Daily Show,” 1.7 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, “The Colbert Report,” 1.3 million
TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, “Conan,” 0.9 million
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 2.2 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.4 million
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“he cannot make a segment without the F-word. I’m not a prude, I do have a huge potty mouth, but it seems he cannot make a punchline without swearing. What’s the comedic excellence in that?”
I agree, it’s lazy. Like Brad, I’d love to see Conan take him down. I thought when Stewart endorsed Kerry in 2004 that was the beginning of the end, but apparently not. Turns out you can explicitly support one side and still pull a pretty reliable 0.8.
A person on FOX news made Stewart mad one time when he called him a “Safe Jay Leno who gets to use the F word”
I used to like to bash Letterman even though I didn’t really watch him. So I started trying to watch different shows to get a feel for them. That, the writer’s strike in ’07, and my growing interest in comedy made me very interested in late night talk shows. There were times when I tried to watch Leno, Letterman, Conan, Ferguson, Kimmel, Stewart, & Colbert regularly. (Thanks to DVR and my being a bum after college). When I wasn’t being a bum later, I think I even tried Conan, Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Letterman & tried to squeeze in some Ferguson, Stewart, Lopez, & Jay Leno Show when possible or for particular guests or curiosity.
Stewart was one the shows I didnt already watch so I tried to watch purposely because it gets so much acclaim and awards and such.
I know (and knew) it’s good. (really good, great whatever you want to call it.) I know it probably deserves all the awards (Not just because its about politics and real things, calling people out on stuff, etc, but it certainly helps). And the correspondents are great.
But when I think of The Daily Show, I just think of Jon Stewart playing clips and then saying something in a funny voice.
I ended up thinking Colbert is the much better show. Funnier. Better writing. And like how they both get maybe a little more acclaim as liberal shows talking about politics, I think Colbert should get more since he’s acting the whole time, adlibbing in character, etc.
Anyway I just guess I thought calling his F-words laziness fell in the same boat as my thoughts on his weird voices.
It also kind of relates to the comedy you applaud at versus the comedy you actually laugh at.
I think Stewart is usually more applause-worthy. Because of that, its really fun to say that Stephen Colbert is like Jon Stewart, but funny. Especially to people who really love Stewart.
In 2019, a hobbling Jay Leno will come onto stage, do a high five with his audience, tell a few Lewinsky jokes, and 800,000 people will watch. He’ll be crowned the king of late night the following Thursday on this site in the ratings report…claiming a whopping 1 share.
Indeed…I think that Jay Leno would and could survive a nuclear holocaust. He’d crawl out from under the rubble and fawn all over a Kardashian.
“It also kind of relates to the comedy you applaud at versus the comedy you actually laugh at.”
Seth Meyers derisively refers to the former as “clapter”. Great post, Hector.
Here’s the complete Conan Q & A from last Friday at UCSD. I haven’t had the chance of watching it yet.
http://youtu.be/XL2Twr-Nb6Y
Interesting footage, because I don’t think there’s been another nearly-50 late night host who could pull off that kind of leather-jacketed youthful cool pose in front of a college crowd.
Can you imagine Leno putting on a performance like that at UCSD? Never in a million years. He’d spend an hour doing high fives but couldn’t pull that off.
Unusual development: longtime former Leno-avoider and Letterman ally Steve Martin makes his first appearance of sweeps on Tonight next Monday. Maybe at this point the other shows don’t see Martin as the trump card that they used to.
Jay gets a huge boost May 8 when The Voice finale runs to 11 p.m.
I love the way young people look up to Conan not only as a funny man, but also as a role model. His approach person to person is really heartwarming (and I speak from personal experience).
Conan will have his “Mel Gibson” moment tomorrow, because he has Meta World Peace booked. Also, Chicago dates were announced today! The show was hilarious but I didn’t pay too much attention requesting my tickets for Chicago!
Holy cow that’s a fortuitous booking for Conan. I think it’ll be big.
Tonight was Jay’s first mention of the Gibson booking and the room that had been applauding other named guests went quiet fast. It’s not 100% as rough as it sounds, since TV studio audiences can be a little extra-reserved about reacting to controversial things because they feel like they’re being watched. But it’s rough.
Gary: Unusual development: longtime former Leno-avoider and Letterman ally Steve Martin makes his first appearance of sweeps on Tonight next Monday. Maybe at this point the other shows don’t see Martin as the trump card that they used to.
That really is surprising.
Hector: But when I think of The Daily Show, I just think of Jon Stewart playing clips and then saying something in a funny voice.
Right. Stewart is not bad but Daily Show is a bit too much centered around third party material. Other shows show these clips too and make jokes about them but they do fill like 90% of their time with their own material.
Gary: Unusual development: longtime former Leno-avoider and Letterman ally Steve Martin makes his first appearance of sweeps on Tonight next Monday.
Maybe because Conan will be on hiatus?
Could well be, Diana.
Could also be, and forgive the blasphemy, that Conan and Dave have had enough Steve Martin for the time being. At least when the deal includes putting on his bluegrass band.
0.48 for Conan last week. The volatility within that weekly number was insane. 0.3 to 0.7.
Steve Martin was on Conan in february – without his bluegrass band. So it would’ve been a bit early to bring him back. I love his bluegrass band.
” Highest Paid Host of Late Night
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/highest-paid-hosts-on-late-night-tv.html ”
It’s amazing how Chelsea makes more money than Kimmel and Fallon combined.
I thought Letterman’s salary was almost $50 million? I guess not anymore.