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[04/06/14 - 08:58 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" Puts NBC on Top
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 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (4/5/14):

NBC (4.167 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) was the network to beat on Saturday with its mix of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (5.012 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) and "Saturday Night Live" (2.479 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

CBS (3.370 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) then served up repeats of "Person of Interest" (2.486 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #7) and "Criminal Minds" (3.119 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) followed by a new "48 Hours" (4.505 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2).

Next up was ABC (2.319 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) with a repeat of "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" (1.495 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #8) alongside installments of "20/20 Saturday" (2.269 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and "Nightline Prime" (3.195 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

And finally, FOX (1.020 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) closed out the evening with special Saturday editions of "Rake" (1.000 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9) and another "Rake" (1.040 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9).

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

· "Saturday Night Live," with host Anna Kendrick and musical guest Pharrell, averaged a 4.0/10 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 2.2/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, making it the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters ahead of all primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in both categories.


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/6/13):

CBS (15.924 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1) overshadowed the competition with its primetime coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. Louisville" (18.190 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (13.503 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #3) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Syracuse vs. Michigan" (15.221 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.1, #2).

Sharing the leftovers then was ABC (2.684 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) with its mix of "The Middle" (2.124 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13), "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (2.277 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10), "20/20: General Hospital - The Real Soap Dish" (2.857 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) and "20/20: Wedding Confidential" (2.994 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

Next up was NBC (2.136 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and its combination of "The Voice" (2.379 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5), "Smash" (1.877 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10) and "Saturday Night Live" (2.152 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

And finally, FOX (1.961 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) closed out the evening with its all-repeat lineup of "Cops" (2.169 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6), another "Cops" (2.468 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) and "The Following" (1.604 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10).

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

* "Saturday Night Live," with host Melissa McCarthy and musical guest Phoenix, averaged a 4.8/12 in metered-market households. "SNL" scored the #1 non-sports rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in metered-market households, topping all primetime entertainment telecasts on those networks.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.7 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49. "SNL" delivered the top non-sports rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters, out-rating all primetime entertainment programming on those networks.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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