NBC narrowly won the first week of the 2019-20 TV season.
“Sunday Night Football” gave NBC the week’s highest-rated and most-watched broadcast, thanks to its season high 7.8 rating in the adults 18-49 demo and a 24.11 million viewer audience. FOX’s first “Thursday Night Football” broadcast of the season came second in both measures (5.8, 17.91 million).
FOX also had the week’s highest-rated, non-sports broadcast, with the season 2 premiere of “The Masked Singer” scoring a 2.5. NBC, however, grabbed the week’s no. 1 scripted show, thanks to the “This is Us” premiere’s 1.8 rating.
In the network standings, NBC topped the week in both the adults 18-49 demo (1.8) and in total viewers (7.48). It’s the first time in 10 years that CBS hasn’t won premiere week in the total viewers measure. FOX came second in the demo rankings with a 1.7 average rating, while CBS place second in viewers (6.89).
Here are the network standings for the week of Sept. 23-29.
| Sept. 23-29 | ABC | CBS | CW | FOX | NBC | TEL | UNI |
| Adults 18-49 rating/share (rank) | 0.9/5 (4) | 1.0/5 (3) | 0.1/1 (7) | 1.7/9 (2) | 1.8/9 (1) | 0.4/2 (5t) | 0.4/2 (5t) |
| Viewers in millions (rank) | 4.71 (4) | 6.89 (2) | 0.55 (7) | 5.79 (3) | 7.48 (1) | 1.09 (6) | 1.31 (5) |
Current week ratings are live + same-day. Season-to-date ratings are “most current,” a combination of Live +7 and same-day ratings.
Here are the program rankings:
Top 25 broadcast shows (including ties) in adults 18-49 for Sept. 23-29, 2019
| Rank | Show | Net | Day | Time | 18-49 rating |
18-49 viewers (000s)
|
| 1 | SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | Sun. | 8:23 PM | 7.8 | 10,061 |
| 2 | THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – P | FOX | Thurs. | 8:23 PM | 5.8 | 7,474 |
| 3 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | Sun. | 8:13 PM | 5.3 | 6,860 |
| 4 | FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA PT 3 | NBC | Sun. | 7:52 PM | 3.9 | 5,099 |
| 5 | THURSDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK – P | FOX | Thurs. | 8:05 PM | 2.9 | 3,805 |
| 6 | THE MASKED SINGER – P | FOX | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 2.5 | 3,261 |
| 7 | THIS IS US – P | NBC | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 1.8 | 2,388 |
| 60 MINUTES – P | CBS | Sun. | 7:46 PM | 1.8 | 2,387 | |
| 9 | THE VOICE – MON – P | NBC | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 1.7 | 2,246 |
| SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | ABC | Sat. | 7:37 PM | 1.7 | 2,197 | |
| 11 | 911 – P | FOX | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 1.6 | 2,062 |
| THE VOICE – TUE – P | NBC | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 1.6 | 2,014 | |
| 13 | GREY’S ANATOMY – P | ABC | Thurs. | 8:00 PM | 1.5 | 1,966 |
| 14 | FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA PT 2 | NBC | Sun. | 7:30 PM | 1.4 | 1,825 |
| 15 | NCIS – P | CBS | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 1.3 | 1,743 |
| THURSDAY NIGHT NFL PREGAME – P | FOX | Thurs. | 7:30 PM | 1.3 | 1,685 | |
| THE CONNERS – P | ABC | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 1.3 | 1,655 | |
| SURVIVOR – P | CBS | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 1.3 | 1,641 | |
| BIG BROTHER – WED – F | CBS | Weds. | 9:30 PM | 1.3 | 1,626 | |
| 20 | CHICAGO FIRE – P | NBC | Weds. | 9:00 PM | 1.1 | 1,452 |
| CHICAGO PD – P | NBC | Weds. | 10:00 PM | 1.1 | 1,415 | |
| YOUNG SHELDON – P | CBS | Thurs. | 8:00 PM | 1.1 | 1,388 | |
| MODERN FAMILY – P | ABC | Weds. | 9:00 PM | 1.1 | 1,365 | |
| 24 | CHICAGO MED – P | NBC | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 1.0 | 1,337 |
| A MILLION LITTLE THINGS – P | ABC | Thurs. | 9:01 PM | 1.0 | 1,337 | |
| EMPIRE – P | FOX | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 1.0 | 1,304 | |
| CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD – F | ABC | Sun. | 8:00 PM | 1.0 | 1,288 | |
| NEW AMSTERDAM – P | NBC | Tues. | 10:08 PM | 1.0 | 1,281 | |
| THE GOLDBERGS – P | ABC | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 1.0 | 1,275 | |
| PRODIGAL SON – P | FOX | Mon. | 9:01 PM | 1.0 | 1,246 | |
| THE GOOD DOCTOR – P | ABC | Mon. | 10:00 PM | 1.0 | 1,245 |
Top 25 broadcast shows in total viewers for Sept. 23-29, 2019
| Rank | Show | Net | Day | Time |
Viewers (000s)
|
| 1 | SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | Sun. | 8:23 PM | 24,108 |
| 2 | THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – P | FOX | Thurs. | 8:23 PM | 17,905 |
| 3 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | Sun. | 8:13 PM | 16,544 |
| 4 | NCIS | CBS | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 12,581 |
| 5 | FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA PT 3 | NBC | Sun. | 7:52 PM | 12,255 |
| 6 | 60 MINUTES – P | CBS | Sun. | 7:46 PM | 11,800 |
| 7 | THURSDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK – P | FOX | Thurs. | 8:05 PM | 10,124 |
| 8 | THE VOICE – MON – P | NBC | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 8,943 |
| 9 | FBI – P | CBS | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 8,838 |
| 10 | THE VOICE – TUE – P | NBC | Tues. | 8:00 PM | 8,327 |
| 11 | YOUNG SHELDON – P | CBS | Thurs. | 8:00 PM | 8,248 |
| 12 | THE MASKED SINGER – P | FOX | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 8,033 |
| 13 | THIS IS US – P | NBC | Tues. | 9:00 PM | 7,900 |
| 14 | BLUE BLOODS – P | CBS | Fri. | 10:00 PM | 7,852 |
| 15 | CHICAGO MED – P | NBC | Weds. | 8:00 PM | 7,536 |
| 16 | CHICAGO FIRE – P | NBC | Weds. | 9:00 PM | 7,330 |
| 17 | 911 – P | FOX | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 7,148 |
| 18 | GOD FRIENDED ME – P | CBS | Sun. | 8:46 PM | 7,125 |
| 19 | HAWAII FIVE-0 – P | CBS | Fri. | 8:00 PM | 7,030 |
| 20 | NCIS: NEW ORLEANS – P | CBS | Tues. | 10:00 PM | 6,667 |
| 21 | GREY’S ANATOMY – P | ABC | Thurs. | 8:00 PM | 6,522 |
| 22 | CHICAGO PD – P | NBC | Weds. | 10:00 PM | 6,494 |
| 23 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES – P | CBS | Sun. | 9:46 PM | 6,442 |
| 24 | BULL – P | CBS | Mon. | 10:00 PM | 6,429 |
| 25 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | Mon. | 8:00 PM | 6,407 |
All program ratings are live + same-day.
Source: The Nielsen Company.
