via press release:
NBC WINS THE PRIMETIME WEEK OF DEC. 29-JAN. 4 IN 18-49 AND TOTAL VIEWERS
Saturday’s Ravens-Steelers AFC Wild Card Game Ranks #1 Among Big 4 Primetime Programs in Every Key Demo
‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ the Primetime Portion of ‘New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly,’ Two Editions of ‘Dateline NBC’ and ‘A Toast to 2014!’ Join ‘SNF’ Among the Week’s Top 30 Big 4 Primetime Shows in 18-49
Season to Date, NBC Ranks #1 in Adults 18-49, Having Won 12 of 15 Weeks, and Is #1 Among the Big 4 in Every Other Key Demo
NBC Takes #2 Among ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox on New Year’s Eve with ‘A Toast to 2014!’ and ‘NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly’; It’s the #2 Most-Watched Primetime Portion of Daly’s Special to Date
NBC Dominates Saturday in Every Key Measure with the Ravens-Steelers AFC Wild Card Game
Sunday’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Season Premiere Jumps +41% vs. the Show’s Prior Debut; ‘Dateline’ Reports its Most-Watched Sunday Debut in Nine Years
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Jan. 7, 2015 — With Saturday’s Ravens-Steelers AFC Wild Card playoff game ranking #1 among primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in every key measure, NBC has won the ratings week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4 in adults 18-49 and total viewers, marking the network’s 12th weeklong win in 15 weeks so far this season in 18-49 and its fourth victory of the season in total viewers.
According to “live plus same day” viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, NBC averaged a 2.0 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 7.335 million viewers overall for the week. In addition to its 18-49 and total-viewer wins, NBC led the primetime week among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults, men and women 25-54 and women 18-49, while tying for #1 in men 18-49 and women 18-34.
NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” rated #1 among Big 4 primetime programs for the week in adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.
Joining “Sunday Night Football” among the week’s top 30 primetime telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 were Sunday’s season premiere of “The Celebrity Apprentice” (#6), Wednesday’s primetime portion of “NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” (tied for #12), Sunday’s “Dateline NBC” (tied for #18), Wednesday’s NBC News Special “A Toast to 2014!” (tied for #29) and Friday’s “Dateline” (tied for #29). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.
For the season, NBC ranks #1 among the Big 4 networks in every key demographic – adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. In adults 18-49, NBC ranks #1 by a +17% margin (with a 2.8 rating vs. a 2.4 for #2 CBS).
In total viewers, NBC is #2 for the season, and running within 2% of its year-ago average (9.5 million vs. 9.7 million), making this season and last NBC’s two top-scoring seasons in total viewers at this point since 2006. This season and last also mark the first two times since 2003 that NBC has ranked as high as #2 in total viewers at this point.
Primetime averages for the week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4 in adults 18-49 are: NBC, 2.0/6; Fox, 1.8/6; ABC, 1.2/4; CBS, 1.1/3; and CW, 0.3/1. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: NBC, 7.3 million; CBS, 7.3 million; Fox, 5.4 million; ABC, 4.7 million; and CW, 1.1 million.
“Most current” averages for the season to date are: NBC, 2.8/9; CBS, 2.4/8; ABC, 2.2/7; Fox, 2.0/6; and CW, 0.9/3. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 11.4 million; NBC, 9.5 million; ABC, 8.2 million; Fox, 5.9 million; and CW, 2.2 million.
NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4:
Monday
Encore telecasts of “State of Affairs” averaged a 0.6/2 in 18-49 and 3.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET, a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 2.9 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m., and a 0.5/1 in 18-49 and 2.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m.
Tuesday
NBC ranked #2 for the night among the Big 4 in most key measures (and tied for #1 among those nets in adults 18-34) with three encore telecasts of “Chicago Fire,” which averaged a 0.6/2 in 18-49 and 3.2 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET, a 0.8/3 in 18-49 and 3.7 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m., and a 0.9/3 in 18-49 and 3.7 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. The 9 and 10 p.m. “Chicago Fire” encores grew versus their lead-ins in 18-49 and total viewers.
Wednesday
NBC ranked #2 in primetime among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures.
The NBC News Special “A Toast to 2014!” (1.0/4 in 18-49, 4.7 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) ranked #2 in the time period on the Big 4 in all key demographics. “A Toast to 2014!” grew steadily throughout its two hours, with this half-hour track in 18-49: 0.7, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2. From its first half-hour to its fourth, “A Toast to 2014!” grew by +71% in adults 18-49 and by +22% or nearly a million person in total viewers (4.2 million to 5.2 million).
The primetime portion of “NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” (1.5/6 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall from 10-10:58 p.m. ET) ranked #2 in the slot among the Big 4 in all other key measures. From its first half-hour to its second, the special’s primetime portion grew by +14% in adults 18-49 (1.4 to 1.6). This is the second-highest-rated primetime “NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” aired over the last seven years in 18-49, trailing over that span only last year’s 1.8. Versus the 10 p.m. segment of two years ago, this year’s rating is up +25% (1.5 vs. 1.2) and versus three years ago, the increase is +67% (1.5 vs. 0.9). In total viewers, it’s the second-most-watched primetime “NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” to date, trailing only last year’s 5.7 million.
Thursday
“The Biggest Loser” (0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.5 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) finished #2 in the time period in adults 18-49, total viewers and most other key measures among the Big 4 and tied for #1 among those networks in adults 18-34. “The Biggest Loser” equaled its prior 18-49 rating (0.9 on Dec. 18), despite the New Year’s holiday and the previous week’s preemption.
L+7: This season, “The Biggest Loser” is increasing by an average +36% in 18-49 rating (from a 1.28 to a 1.74) and more than 1.0 million viewers overall (4.6 million to 5.7 million) going from L+SD to L+7.
“Bad Judge” averaged a 0.5/1 in 18-49 and 2.1 million viewers overall from 9-9:30 p.m. ET. L+7: Season to date, “Bad Judge” is growing by an average +41% in 18-49 rating (from a 1.05 to a 1.48) and 1.2 million viewers overall (4.3 million to 5.5 million) going from L+SD to L+7.
“A-to-Z” averaged a 0.4/1 in 18-49 and 1.3 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET. L+7: So far this season, “A-to-Z” is increasing by an average +35% in 18-49 rating (from a 0.86 to a 1.16) and 678,000 million viewers overall (3.1 million to 3.7 million) going from L+SD to L+7.
An encore telecast of “Parenthood” delivered a 0.4/1 in 18-49 and 1.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET). Upscale: “Parenthood” is the tied as the #1 most upscale primetime series on the Big 4 networks, indexing at a 166 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (“most current” L+3 results, tied with “Modern Family,” 100 represents an average concentration of those homes).
Friday
An encore telecast of “Grimm” averaged a 0.4/1 in 18-49 and 2.2 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.
A rebroadcast of “Dateline NBC” (1.0/3 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) grew from its first half-hour to its fourth by +50% in adult 18-49 rating (0.8 to 1.2) and +24% or 1.2 million persons in total viewers (4.7 million to 5.9 million).
Saturday
NBC Sports’ AFC Wild Card Playoff coverage (8.8/27 in 18-49, 27.9 million viewers overall from 8:15-11:15 p.m. ET), featuring the Baltimore Ravens at the Pittsburgh Steelers, led NBC to nightlong wins among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in every key measure – adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.
For the night, NBC dwarfed the combined Big 4 competition, averaging an 8.5 rating in adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. versus a combined 1.5 for ABC, CBS and Fox. In total viewers, NBC’s primetime average 26.9 million persons topped the combined ABC-CBS-Fox audience of 8.3 million
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Sunday:
The Sunday season premiere of “Dateline NBC” (1.3/4 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall from 7-9 p.m. ET) tripled its rating from the show’s first half-hour to its fourth (from a 0.7 to a 2.1) and grew by +170% in adults 25-54 (1.0 to 2.7) and +109% or more than 4.5 million persons in total viewers (4.2 million to 8.7 million). It was “Dateline’s” most-watched Sunday season premiere in nine years (since averaging 8.0 million on Sept. 25, 2005. Versus the show’s year-ago Sunday debut, “Dateline” grew by +7% (6.3 million vs. 5.9 million). “Dateline” equaled last year’s season premiere in adults 18-49 (1.3 vs 1.3) and was up +6% in adults 25-54 (1.7 to 1.8). For any Sunday “Dateline,” the 1.3 matches the show’s highest rating since Jan. 6, 2013 (1.5) and the 6.3 million is “Dateline’s” top result since Feb. 12, 2012 (6.8 million).
The season premiere of “The Celebrity Apprentice” (2.4/7 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) jumped +41% versus the prior “Apprentice” debut in 18-49 (1.7/4 from 9-11 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, 2013) and was up +32% in total viewers (6.8 million vs. 5.2 million). This is the top-rated episode of “Celebrity Apprentice” since Feb. 19, 2012 in 18-49 (2.6/6) and most-watched since the May 20, 2012 season finale (6.9 million). Excluding sports and the Golden Globes, the 2.4 is NBC’s top rating in the time period in two years (since a 3.0 for a “Biggest Loser” preview on Jan. 6, 2013). The season debut of “Celebrity Apprentice” beat NBC’s non-sports average the slot last season by +71% in 18-49 (2.4 vs. 1.4, non-sports, L+SD) and by +31% in total viewers (6.8 million vs. 5.2 million).
WEEKLY AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category
ADULTS 18-49
NBC 2.0/6, 2.6 million
Fox 1.8/6, 2.3 million
ABC 1.2/4, 1.5 million
CBS 1.1/3, 1.3 million
CW 0.3/1, 0.4 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
NBC 2.5/7, 3.0 million
Fox 2.1/6, 2.5 million
CBS 1.6/4, 1.9 million
ABC 1.5/4, 1.8 million
CW 0.4/1, 0.5 million
Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
NBC 2.5/7, 7.3 million
CBS 2.5/7, 7.3 million
Fox 1.8/5, 5.4 million
ABC 1.6/4, 4.7 million
CW 0.4/1, 1.1 million
Each rating point equals 2.95 million viewers
SEASON TO DATE
Average rating, share and audience in each category
ADULTS 18-49
NBC 2.8/9, 3.5 million
CBS 2.4/8, 3.1 million
ABC 2.2/7, 2.8 million
Fox 2.0/6, 2.5 million
CW 0.9/3, 1.1 million
Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers
ADULTS 25-54
NBC 3.4/9, 4.1 million
CBS 3.3/9, 4.0 million
ABC 2.8/8, 3.3 million
Fox 2.3/6, 2.8 million
CW 0.9/3, 1.1 million
Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers
TOTAL VIEWERS
CBS 3.8/10, 11.4 million
NBC 3.2/9, 9.5 million
ABC 2.8/7, 8.2 million
Fox 2.0/5, 5.9 million
CW 0.7/2, 2.2 million
Each rating point equals 2.95 million viewers