NBC RANKS #2 IN 18-49 AND #1 IN TOTAL VIEWERS FOR THE PRIMETIME WEEK OF AUGUST 13-19, WITH 'SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' AND 'TALENT' SCORING THE #1 AND #2 RATINGS OF THE WEEK

COLTS-STEELERS 'SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' IS THE #1 SHOW OF THE WEEK ON ABC, CBS, NBC AND FOX IN 18-49 AND TUESDAY'S 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' IS #2

IN TOTAL VIEWERS, TUESDAY'S 'TALENT' IS #1, 'SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' IS #2 AND WEDNESDAY'S 'TALENT' IS #3

FOR THE 2011-12 BROADCAST YEAR TO DATE, NBC IS #2 IN 18-49 AND TOTAL VIEWERS, RUNNING WITHIN 0.2 OF A POINT OF #1 IN 18-49

ON MONDAY, 'GRIMM' OPENS ITS SECOND SEASON WITH THE SHOW'S SECOND-BEST RATING EVER IN 18-49

ON TUESDAY, 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' SCORES ITS HIGHEST RATING ON ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK SINCE MONDAY, JULY 2

TUESDAY'S 'STARS EARN STRIPES' ENCORE RANKS #1 AT 10 P.M. AMONG ABC, CBS AND NBC WITH THE TOP NON-OLYMPIC RATING IN THE SLOT FOR ANY OF THOSE NETWORKS SINCE JUNE 26

WEDNESDAY'S 'TALENT' GRABS THE HIGHEST 18-49 RATING FOR A WEDNESDAY TELECAST ON ABC, CBS, NBC OR FOX, EXCLUDING OLYMPICS, SINCE JUNE 27

ON THURSDAY, 'ROCK CENTER' REPORTS ITS HIGHEST 18-49 AND TOTAL-VIEWER RESULTS SINCE JULY 12

SUNDAY'S COLTS-STEELERS FOOTBALL IS THE TOP NFL PRESEASON TELECAST ON ANY NET SO FAR THIS SEASON

SUNDAY'S 'DATELINE NBC' WINS THE 7 P.M. ET HOUR IN 18-49 WITH THE SHOW'S HIGHEST SUNDAY RATING SINCE JUNE

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - August 21, 2012 - Led by the week's #1 telecast in adults 18-49, the Colts-Steelers "Sunday Night Football" NFL preseason game, and the #1 show in total viewers, Tuesday's "America's Got Talent," NBC has finished #2 for the week of August 13-19 in adults 18-49 and, for a fourth week in a row, ranked #1 in total viewers. According to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, NBC averaged a 1.5 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49 and 5.2 million viewers overall for the week.

The Colts-Steelers "Sunday Night Football" preseason game ranked #1 for the week on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and all key adult-male demos. Also ranking among the top programs of the week in adults 18-49 were the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of "America's Got Talent (#2 and #6 respectively, with the Tuesday edition ranking #1 among non-sports telecasts on those networks), Monday's "Grimm" season-two premiere (tied for #11) and Monday's debut of "Stars Earn Stripes" (tied for #17). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

In total viewers, Tuesday's "America's Got Talent," "Sunday Night Football" and Wednesday's "America's Got Talent" Results Show ranked #1, #2 and #3 respectively among all primetime telecasts on those networks.

"America's Got Talent" has been the #1 non-sports program on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in total viewers for each of its last 10 weeks on the air ("Talent" was preempted during the two full weeks of the London Olympics) and has been #1 or tied for #1 among non-sports programs on those networks for nine of its last 10 weeks.

Primetime averages for the week of August 13-19 in adults 18-49 were: Fox (1.6/5), NBC (1.5/5), CBS (1.1/4), ABC (1.0/4) and CW (0.3/1). In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: NBC (5.2 million), CBS (5.1 million), Fox (4.3 million), ABC (3.7 million) and CW (0.7 million).

For the 2011-12 broadcast year to date, NBC is #2 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adult 18-49 rating and total viewers, running within 0.2 of a rating point of first-place Fox in 18-49. NBC is the only network among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox that's up versus one year ago in viewers 18-49 and total viewers, as well as viewers 18-34 and viewers 25-54. Averages for the broadcast year through 48 weeks are: Fox (2.8/8), NBC (2.6/8), CBS (2.5/7), ABC (2.2/6) and CW (0.6/2). In overall total viewers, the broadcast-year averages are: CBS (10.2 million), NBC (8.1 million), Fox (7.8 million), ABC (7.5 million) and CW (1.5 million).

NBC highlights for the week of August 13-19

* On Monday, the debut of "Stars Earn Stripes" ranked #2 in the slot among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49 and total viewers and improved by 55 percent on NBC's 18-49 average in the time period last summer.

* Also on Monday, the season two debut of "Grimm" locked up the show's second highest 18-49 rating ever and fell just a tenth of a point short of last year's series debut in late October. "Grimm" topped the combined ABC-CBS competition in 18-49.

* On Tuesday, "America's Got Talent" delivered the #1 results of the night in 18-49 and total viewers while matching the show's highest 18-49 rating on any night of the week since Monday, July 2. "Talent" grew versus its last Tuesday telecast before the Olympics by 4 percent in 18-49, up from an 11 percent drop in the same comparison following the 2008 Summer Olympics.

* Also on Tuesday, an encore "Stars Earn Stripes" ranked #1 in the hour in 18-49 among ABC, CBS and NBC while capturing the highest non-Olympic rating in the time period on any of those networks since June 26.

* "Talent" and "Stars" combined to rank #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for all six primetime half-hours in 18-49 Tuesday night.

* On Wednesday, "America's Got Talent" grabbed the highest Wednesday 18-49 rating on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox, excluding Olympics, since June 27.

* Wednesday's 8 p.m. encore of "America's Got Talent" generated NBC's biggest overall audience in the slot, excluding sports, since April 4.

* Also on Wednesday, "Law & Order: SVU" matched its summer high in 18-49.

* On Thursday, "Rock Center" reported its top 18-49 and total-viewer results since July 12.

* Friday's "Dateline NBC" grew from its first half-hour to its second to pull into a tie for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 25-54 from 10:30-11 p.m. ET and rank #1 outright among those networks at 10:30 in total viewers.

* On Sunday, NBC Sports' coverage of the Colts-Steelers preseason football game scored the highest ratings in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures for any NFL preseason telecast on any network so far this season.

* Sunday's Colts-Steelers matchup paced NBC to a primetime win in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures. NBC nearly doubled its closet primetime competitor in 18-49 rating.

* Also on Sunday, "Dateline NBC" won the 7 p.m. ET hour among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 18-49 with its highest Sunday rating since June 24.

Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data 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."

Additional NBC highlights for the week of August 13-19:

On Monday, August 13 from 8-10 p.m. ET, the debut of "Stars Earn Stripes" (1.7 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in the time period among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49, total viewers and virtually all other key categories ahead of ABC's original "Bachelor Pad" (1.2/4 in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall) and CBS's comedy encores (1.3/4, 4.4 million viewers overall). Versus NBC's average in this time period last summer, "Stars Earn Stripes" is up 55 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.7 from a 1.1, "live plus same day," non-sports). Excluding the two Olympic weeks, these are NBC's top 18-49 and total-viewers results in the slot since July 2.

Monday from 10-11 p.m. ET, the second season premiere of "Grimm" (2.0/5 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall) captured the show's second highest 18-49 rating ever and highest since the show's series premiere October 28, 2011. In total viewers, "Grimm" delivered its biggest overall audience since January 20. "Grimm" finished within a tenth of a point of its year-ago series premiere during the higher-viewership period of late October and is up versus the show's first season finale May 18 by 25 percent (2.0 vs. 1.6). "Grimm" maintained its 18-49 rating from half-hour to half-hour and grew by 4 percent in adults 25-54 (to a 2.5 from a 2.4) and 2 percent in total viewers (5.7 million vs. 5.6 million). In the time period, "Grimm" ranked #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in all key ratings categories, beating the ABC-CBS combined rating in adults 18-49 (2.0 vs. 1.1 for CBS's "Hawaii Five-0" encore and 0.7 for ABC's original "Glass House"). The special early premiere of "Grimm" beat NBC's average in this slot last summer by 67 percent in 18-49 rating (with a 2.0 vs. a 1.2, "live plus same day non-sports"). "Grimm" also topped what NBC averaged in the time period during the 2011-12 traditional season by 25 percent (2.0 vs. 1.6). Keep in mind that last season, "Grimm" originals added an average 69 percent to these next-day "live plus same day" 18-49 ratings when Nielsen issued "live plus seven day" results.

On Tuesday, August 14, from 8-10 p.m. ET, "America's Got Talent" (2.8/8 in 18-49, 10.0 million viewers overall) delivered the #1 results of the night in adults 18-49 and total viewers. The 2.8 rating for "America's Got Talent" in 18-49 matches the show's highest for any night of the week since Monday, July 2. In the time period, "Talent" is #1 in adults 18-49 and total viewers ahead of Fox's "MasterChef" and special Tuesday edition of "Hotel Hell." From its first half-hour to its fourth, "Talent grew by 21 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 2.9 from a 2.4) and 8 percent in total viewers (10.1 million vs. 9.4 million). "Talent" returned to the schedule with a 4 percent increase versus its last pre-Olympic Tuesday telecast in 18-49 (with a 2.8 rating vs. a 2.7 on July 24), while in 2008, the first post-Olympic "Talent" was down 11 percent versus the last pre-Olympic edition. In total viewers, last night's "Talent" finished within 4 percent of the last pre-Olympic result (10.0 million vs. 10.4 million), while the 2008 returning telecast was down by 12 percent.

Tuesday from 10-11 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Stars Earn Stripes" (1.4/4 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall) ranked #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the time period in adults 18-49 and other key demos. The "Stars Earn Stripes" rebroadcast finished within 0.3 of a point of Monday's original telecast of the "Stars" premiere in 18-49 (1.4 vs. 1.7). "Stars Earn Stripes" delivered the highest non-Olympic 18-49 rating in this time period on ABC, CBS or NBC since June 26.

NBC tied for #1 Tuesday night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 and was #1 outright in total viewers, while sweeping all six half-hours among those networks in 18-49.

On Wednesday, August 15 at 8 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" (1.3/4 in 18-49, 5.5 million viewers overall) generated NBC's highest non-sports 18-49 rating in the time period so far this summer. In total viewers, it was NBC's biggest overall audience in the slot, excluding sports, since April 4. The "Talent" rebroadcast ranked #2 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the time period in total viewers.

Wednesday from 9-10 p.m. ET, the "America's Got Talent" Results Show (2.3/6 in 18-49, 8.5 million viewers overall) returned from its Olympic break by scoring the show's highest Wednesday rating in adults 18-49 since June 27. "Talent" also delivered the highest non-Olympic Wednesday rating on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox since that June 27 "Talent" telecast. This week's "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 for the night in 18-49 and total viewers. "Talent" led its time period in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, establishing an advantage of 35 percent over Fox's second-place "So You Think You Can Dance" in 18-49 (2.3 vs. 1.7 in that hour), while building on its lead-in from a "Talent" encore in the prior hour by 77 percent in 18-49 rating. The Wednesday "Talent" returned to the schedule with a 5 percent increase versus its last pre-Olympic Wednesday telecast in 18-49 (with a 2.3 rating vs. a 2.2 on July 25), while in 2008, the first post-Olympic "Talent" was down 11 percent versus the last pre-Olympic edition (on Tuesdays -- there was no Wednesday original prior to the Olympics in '08). In total viewers, this week's "Talent" finished within 3 percent of the last pre-Olympic result (8.5 million vs. 8.8 million), while the 2008 returning telecast was down by 12 percent.

Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1.2/4 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall) matched the show's summer high in 18-49. In the time period, the "SVU" rebroadcast ranked #2 among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and tied for #1 in adults 25-54 with ABC's original "20/20" special.

On Thursday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "The Office" averaged a 0.7/2 in 18-49 and 2.4 million viewers overall, earning the show's top 18-49 rating since May 31 and biggest overall audience since May 10. At 8:30, a rebroadcast of "Parks and Recreation" delivered a 0.7/2 in 18-49 and 1.9 million viewers overall, the top results for "Parks" since May 10.

Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, "Saving Hope" (0.6/2 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall) matched its highest 18-49 rating since June 28 and delivered its biggest overall viewership since June 14. "Saving Hope" matched its most recent telecast on July 26 in 18-49 rating despite a two-week break for Olympic coverage and was up 17 percent in total viewers (3.262 million vs. 2.793 million). This week's "Saving Hope" generated a half-hour to half-hour gain of a tenth of a rating point in 18-49 (to a 0.7 from a 0.6) and 17 percent in total viewers (3.5 million vs. 3.0 million).

Thursday at 10 p.m. ET, "Rock Center" (1.0/4 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) reported its top 18-49 and total-viewer results since July 12. Versus its most recent telecast on July 26, "Rock Center" was up 25 percent in 18-49 (to a 1.0 from a 0.8) and 11 percent in total viewers (4.2 million vs. 3.8 million) and versus the week before that, "Rock Center" is up 43 percent in 18-49 (1.0 vs. 0.7) and up 23 percent in total viewers (4.2 million vs. 3.4 million). Compared with NBC's averages in the time period last summer, "Rock Center" was up 11 percent in 18-49 (1.0 vs. 0.9, L+SD non-sports) and up 63 percent in total viewers (4.2 million vs. 2.6 million).

On Friday, August 17 at 8 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" averaged a 0.6/3 in 18-49 and 3.1 million viewers overall. The "Talent" encore delivered NBC's biggest overall audience, excluding sport, in the time period this summer. At 9 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of Monday's season premiere of "Grimm" averaged a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 1.9 million viewers overall.

Friday at 10 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.0/3 in 18-49 and 4.6 million viewers overall. From its first half-hour to its second, "Dateline" grew by 22 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 1.1 rating from a 0.9), by 23 percent in adults 25-54 (1.6 vs. 1.3) and by 25 percent or 1.0 million person in total viewers (5.1 million vs. 4.1 million). For its second half-hour from 10:30-11 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" tied for the #1 non-sports rating among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 25-54 (1.6 rating each) and was #1 outright among those networks in total viewers.

Saturday, August 18, from 8-9 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" averaged a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 1.8 million viewers overall. From 9-11 p.m. ET, an encore of "Stars Earn Stripes" delivered a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 1.5 million viewers overall.

On Sunday, August 19 from 7-8 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (1.2/4 in 18-49, 4.9 million viewers overall) reported its top adult 18-49 rating for a Sunday telecast since June 24 to rank #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the time period in adults 18-49. From its first half-hour to its second, "Dateline NBC" grew in adults 18-49 by 27 percent (to a 1.4 rating from a 1.1), 29 percent in adults 25-54 (1.8 vs. 1.4) and 15 percent in total viewers (5.2 million vs. 4.5 million).

Sunday from 8:07-11:01 p.m. ET, NBC Sports' coverage of the Indianapolis Colts-Pittsburgh Steelers "Sunday Night Football" preseason game in which the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 26-24, averaged a 3.2/9 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall and a 6.0/10 household rating/share. Sunday's Colts-Steelers match-up scored the highest results in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures for any NFL preseason game on any network so far this season. Sunday's game was the #1 telecast of the night in 18-49 and total viewers and dominated its time period.

NBC won Sunday night in adults 18-49, nearly doubling its closet primetime competitor among the major networks (2.7 in 18-49 vs. a 1.4 for Fox). In total viewers, NBC topped its nearest primetime rival by 47 percent or 2.7 million persons (8.3 million vs. 5.6 million for CBS). NBC also ranked #1 on Sunday night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in all other key demographics - adults, men and women 18-34, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 25-54.

Also on Sunday from 8-8:08 p.m. ET, "NBC Sunday Night Football Pre Kickoff" averaged a 2.1/7 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall and a 4.6/8 in households.