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[12/08/13 - 09:01 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Tops Charts with Ohio State/Michigan State Thriller
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 seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/7/13):

FOX (12.324 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) pulled in front on Saturday with its coverage of "College Football: Ohio State at Michigan State" (12.324 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1).

ABC (5.757 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then took home the silver with its "College Football: Florida State at Duke" (5.757 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) coverage.

Next up was CBS (3.525 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its mix of "College Football Overrun/Mike & Molly" (8.240 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2), "Mike & Molly" (3.622 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4), "48 Hours" (2.776 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #6) and "College Football: Utah State at Fresno State" (1.868 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7).

And finally, NBC (2.784 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) closed out the night with encores of "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" (2.859 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7), "The Blacklist" (2.452 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7) and "Saturday Night Live" (3.042 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5).

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

· "Saturday Night Live," with host Paul Rudd and musical guest One Direction, averaged a 4.9/12 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 2.5/11 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, to match the show's highest rating in metered-market households since March 9 (with host and musical guest Justin Timberlake). Over that span, "SNL" previously earned a 4.9 in households on Nov. 16 (host and musical guest Lady Gaga) and Nov. 2 (host Kerry Washington and musical guest Eminem). Versus the same night last year, "SNL" is up 7% in metered-market households (4.9 vs. 4.6).


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/8/12):

FOX (3.41 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the top demo draw on Saturday with its coverage of "UFC on FOX 5" (3.41 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

CBS (4.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then snagged the number two spot with its mix of "Frosty the Snowman" (4.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "Frosty Returns" (4.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "The Flight Before Christmas" (3.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and "48 Hours" (5.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2).

Next up was ABC (2.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and its lineup of "The Borrowers" (2.45 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #8) and "Castle" (3.02 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

And finally, "The American Giving Awards" (1.61 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) on NBC (2.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) closed out the evening.

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

*"Saturday Night Live," with host Jamie Foxx and musical guest Ne-Yo, (4.6/11 in metered-market households) dominated its time period. "SNL" scored the #1 rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in metered-market households, topping all primetime telecasts on those networks.

*In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.6 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49. "SNL" delivered the top rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters, out-rating all primetime programming on those networks.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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