or


[10/01/20 - 08:20 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Demos with NBA Finals
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/30/20):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live sports.]

ABC (4.781 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) pulled into the top demo spot on Wednesday thanks to "Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night" (4.159 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "NBA Countdown" (3.303 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5) and "NBA Finals, Game 1" (5.306 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1).

FOX (5.429 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) had to settle for the silver with its duo of "The Masked Singer" (6.478 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) and "I Can See Your Voice" (4.380 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3).

Next up was CBS (2.748 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and its mix of "Big Brother 22" (4.211 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5), the season finale of "Love Island" (2.018 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #7) and "48 Hours Suspicion" (2.013 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.134 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) opted for repeats of "Ellen's Game of Games" (2.443 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8), another "Ellen's Game of Games" (2.079 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and "Weakest Link" (1.879 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T10).

And finally, the series finale of "The 100" (0.629 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) and a repeat "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.498 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #13) rounded out the night on The CW (0.563 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - The 100
+21.43% - The Masked Singer
0.00% - I Can See Your Voice
-9.09% - Big Brother 22
-16.67% - Love Island
-25.00% - 48 Hours Suspicion

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - I Can See Your Voice (vs. Almost Family)
0.00% - The 100 (vs. iHeartRadio Music Festival Night 1)
-10.53% - The Masked Singer
-16.67% - Big Brother 22 (vs. Survivor: Island of the Idols)
-28.57% - Love Island (vs. SEAL Team)
-46.15% - NBA Finals, Game 1 (vs. 5/30/19)
-47.62% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night (vs. 5/30/19)
-50.00% - 48 Hours Suspicion (vs. SWAT)
-54.55% - NBA Countdown (vs. 5/30/19)


Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/2/19):

FOX (4.852 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was still the network to beat among adults 18-49 on Wednesday with week two of "The Masked Singer" (6.753 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and the premiere of "Almost Family" (2.951 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T8).

NBC (7.040 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then was the silver draw with its trio of "Chicago Med" (7.553 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5), "Chicago Fire" (7.570 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and "Chicago PD" (5.996 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5).

Next up was CBS (5.267 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) with a new "Survivor: Island of the Idols" (6.503 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) followed by the season premieres of "SEAL Team" (5.227 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) and "SWAT" (4.071 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.803 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) offered up originals from "The Goldbergs" (4.305 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5), "Schooled" (3.385 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T8), "Modern Family" (4.301 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "Single Parents" (2.922 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T8) and "Stumptown" (3.954 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11).

And finally, The CW (0.886 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening with its annual special "iHeartRadio Music Festival Night 1" (0.886 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Single Parents
+10.00% - Modern Family
0.00% - Survivor: Island of the Idols
0.00% - Chicago Fire
0.00% - Chicago Med
0.00% - The Goldbergs
0.00% - Schooled
0.00% - Stumptown
-9.09% - Chicago PD
-24.00% - The Masked Singer

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - iHeartRadio Music Festival Night 1 (vs. Burden of Truth/Supergirl (Repeat))
+26.67% - The Masked Singer (vs. Empire)
-12.50% - Stumptown (vs. A Million Little Things)
-12.50% - SEAL Team
-14.29% - SWAT (vs. Criminal Minds)
-15.38% - Chicago Fire (vs. Chicago Med)
-16.67% - Chicago PD
-20.00% - Survivor: Island of the Idols
-21.43% - Modern Family
-23.08% - Chicago Med (vs. Chicago Fire)
-23.08% - The Goldbergs
-27.27% - Single Parents
-27.27% - Schooled (vs. American Housewife)
-33.33% - Almost Family (vs. Star)

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.7/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.4/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.4/3; "Late Show," 0.4/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline," averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.2/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.1/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.0/4. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.2/2 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [september 2025]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[09/12/25 - 02:43 PM]
"The Groomsmen: First Look" Launches Hallmark Channel's "Fall Into Love" Seasonal Stunt with Chart-Topping Ratings
The film was the #1 most-watched entertainment cable program on Saturday among Households, Women 18+, Persons 18+, and Total Viewers.

[09/12/25 - 05:31 AM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Ever
ESPN networks aired eight of the top 10 most-watched WNBA games during the 2025 season, highlighted by its most-watched WNBA game ever - 2.7 million viewers for Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever on May 17 (ABC).

[09/10/25 - 02:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers Most Viewed Tennis Telecast of the Year and Most Viewed US Open Since 2022
The Men's Championship averaged 3 million viewers on ABC, up 82% vs. 2024 while the Women's Championship averaged 2.4 million on ESPN, up 50% vs. 2024.

[09/09/25 - 03:43 PM]
On Pace for Record Year, ESPN Formula 1 Viewership Earns 10th Event High of '25 Season
F1 races are averaging 1.4M viewers this season across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, ahead of the all-time series record average of 1.21M that was set in 2022.

[09/09/25 - 03:29 PM]
ABC Scores Three of the Top Four Best Audiences of College Football's Week 2; "College GameDay" Delivers Second Most-Watched Regular Season Show on Record
Michigan/Oklahoma (9.7 million viewers) was ABC's most-viewed Week 2 game since 2006.

[09/09/25 - 03:17 PM]
FOX's "Big Noon Saturday" & "Big Noon Kickoff" Up Big Through Week 2
Iowa-Iowa State scored 4,278,000 viewers on FOX, most-watched game in the noon window.

[09/09/25 - 02:26 PM]
NBC Sports Posts Largest Two-Game NFL Kickoff Weekend Audience in a Decade & Second Best All-Time, Averaging 26.5 Million Viewers Across NBC & Peacock
NBC's 2025 NFL Kickoff Weekend average viewership trailed only 2015, as Steelers-Patriots in NFL Kickoff '15 and Cowboys-Giants in the Sunday night opener averaged 27.2 million viewers.

[09/09/25 - 02:01 PM]
FOX NFL Delivers Most-Watched Week 1 NFL Singleheader on Any Network Since 2015
17.9 million viewers tuned in to watch Sunday's FOX NFL singleheader - the most-watched Week 1 NFL singleheader on any network since 2015.

[09/09/25 - 01:43 PM]
"20/20" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board for Friday, Sept. 5
Airing against NFL competition on YouTube and U.S. Open Tennis on ESPN, "20/20" turned in its strongest Adults 25-54 performance since June and best Total Viewer and Adults 18-49 numbers since July.

[09/09/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of September 1: "Wednesday" Season 2 Does the Dead Dance to No. 1 in Top 10
"My Life with the Walter Boys" collectively brought in another 10.9 million views, putting the series at No. 2 on the English TV list.

[09/09/25 - 07:00 AM]
TLC's "90 Day: Hunt for Love" Draws Over 11.6M Viewers Across Platforms
The series emerged as one of the network's most-watched new titles of the year and currently ranks as the #2 freshman series on cable in 2025 to date among P/W25-54.

[09/08/25 - 02:45 PM]
The "2025 MTV Video Music Awards" Delivers Its Largest Television Audience Since 2019, Up +42% from Last Year
The telecast was seen by more than 5.5 million viewers on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.

[09/08/25 - 09:40 AM]
Cowboys-Eagles on NBC & Peacock Is 2nd Most-Watched NFL Kickoff Game
The exciting back-and-forth put the Eagles ahead 21-20 at halftime and averaged 34.3 million viewers on NBC and Peacock from 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET (late second quarter) - marking the largest peak audience ever for an NFL Kickoff Game.

[09/05/25 - 09:01 AM]
ESPN Networks Command Historic Viewership with Second Most-Watched Labor Day Weekend in at Least 30 Years
From Saturday, August 30 through Monday, September 1, fans consumed 16.8 billion minutes across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, up 25 percent year-over-year.

[09/03/25 - 04:14 PM]
"Big Noon Kickoff" Scores Monster Week 1 Audience on FOX
Starting at 11:00 AM ET, "Big Noon Kickoff" scored 3,756,000 viewers on FOX.