or


[01/17/16 - 08:18 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NFL Playoffs Give NBC Big Boost
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 eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (1/16/16):

NBC (29.237 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1) rocketed to the top spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "NFC Divisional Game: Green Bay at Arizona" (29.237 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1).

CBS (5.233 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then was a distant silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun/NCIS: New Orleans" (7.209 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), "Limitless" (4.466 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) and "48 Hours" (4.025 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4).

Next up was ABC (1.321 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) and the feature "The Social Network" (1.382 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) plus a repeat "Fresh Off the Boat" (1.020 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8).

And finally, encores of "Hell's Kitchen" (1.204 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "Second Chance" (1.110 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) on FOX (1.157 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) closed out the night.

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has delivered its highest adult 18-49 rating in the local people meters in two years.

· The Jan. 16 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Adam Driver and musical guest Chris Stapleton, averaged a 3.0 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters from 12:15-1:45 a.m. ET, according to Nielsen Media Research (an adjusted average in household rating in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen is currently unavailable due to technical issues). Note that last night's "SNL" was delayed about 45 minutes by the overrun of NBC's primetime NFL Playoff telecast.

· "Saturday Night Live" delivered the show's highest results in the Local People Meters since Jan. 4, 2014 (3.0/12 for "SNL Best of This Season," also following an NFL overrun) and equals the show's high since the Dec. 21, 2013 edition (3.9/18 with host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Justin Timberlake).

· In household rating, "Saturday Night Live" is estimated to be generating about a mid-5 rating, though the exact figure is currently unavailable due to technical issues. A mid-5 would be the #2 household rating of the season, behind only the Nov. 7 telecast with host Donald Trump and musical guest Sia (6.6/16). Prior to last night, "SNL's" #2 household result this season has been the 5.1/13 for the Dec. 19 edition hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler with musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 in the metered markets, far ahead of all primetime entertainment programming on those networks.

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals growing by +52% going from L+SD to L+7 in adults 18-49 (1.84 to 2.79) and +2.252 million persons in total viewers (6.236 million to 8.488 million).


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/17/15):

NBC (4.010 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) was the most-watched network on Saturday with its duo of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.296 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) and a repeat of "Saturday Night Live" (3.439 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

ABC (3.028 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) then shared the demo crown with its telecast of "Just Go With It" (3.256 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) and a repeat of "The Goldbergs" (1.883 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

Next up was CBS (3.989 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and its mix of "48 Hours" (3.065 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.329 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and a new "48 Hours" (5.573 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

And finally, encores of "Empire" (1.510 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and another "Empire" (1.708 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) on FOX (1.609 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening.

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

·"Saturday Night Live," with host Kevin Hart and musical guest Sia, averaged a 4.1 rating, 10 share from 11:30-1 a.m. ET in household results in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.0/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters. It's the highest-rated "SNL" in metered-market households since Dec. 6 (with host James Franco and musical guest Nicki Minaj, 4.4). In 18-49 in the Local People Meters, the 2.0 rating matches the prior two originals (2.0 each on Dec. 20 and Dec. 13) and hasn't been bested since the Dec. 6 telecast (2.2).

·The "Saturday Night Live" encore was the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the Local People Meters, ahead of all primetime programming on those networks in the LPMs.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [january 2016]  
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
[01/07/26 - 12:32 PM]
Bowl Season on ESPN Networks Delivers Strongest Audience Since 2015-16
ABC delivered its largest non CFP bowl audience in 12 years, averaging 6.2 million viewers across six games.

[01/07/26 - 09:29 AM]
In 2025, Fans Power ESPN and "ESPN on ABC" to Its Most-Watched Year in Over a Decade
ESPN networks increased industry-leading sports share to 35 percent, up from 31 percent in 2024.

[01/06/26 - 03:18 PM]
FOX NFL Rings in Best Regular Season Since 2015
The regular season averaged 19.633 million viewers for the network.

[01/06/26 - 03:00 PM]
Record-Setting Season as "Sunday Night Football" on NBC and Peacock Averages 23.5 Million Viewers & Paces as Primetime's #1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
"Sunday Night Football" averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 23.5 million viewers for the 2025 season.

[01/06/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 29 - "Stranger Things 5" Concludes Right Side Up at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the English TV list with 12.7 million views is the new Harlan Coben mystery series "Run Away," centered on a father desperate for clues about his missing daughter while a string of related murders heightens the urgency to find her.

[01/05/26 - 02:34 PM]
2025-26 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals on ESPN Score 19.3 Million Average Viewers; CFP Up YOY Through Two Rounds
The Rose Bowl (Indiana vs. Alabama) topped all coverage with 23.9 million viewers on average.

[01/05/26 - 09:49 AM]
Prime Video Delivers "Thursday Night Football's" Most-Watched Season Ever
The 2025 season averaged 15.33 million viewers throughout its 15-game campaign, marking a +16% increase over the 2024 season and the third-consecutive year of double-digit, year-over-year viewership growth.

[01/02/26 - 03:45 PM]
"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" Rises to Four Year High Reaching 30 Million Total Viewers at Midnight
The telecast averaged 18.8 million total viewers in the 11:30pm-12:30am hour alone.

[01/02/26 - 09:49 AM]
FOX NFL's Week 17 "America's Game of the Week" Comes Out on Top with 28.8 Million Viewers
The Eagles-Bills close finish marked FOX's second most-watched telecast of the regular season.

[12/31/25 - 12:46 PM]
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-Vikings Becoming the Most-Streamed NFL Game in US History
Said coverage averaged 27.5 million viewers in the US, with US viewership peaking at over 30 million viewers.

[12/31/25 - 10:11 AM]
NFL on Prime's Christmas Night Showdown Between the Broncos and Chiefs Sets New Viewership Marks for "TNF"
The streamer's "Thursday Night Football" finale averaged 21.06 million viewers, peaking with 22.90 million.

[12/31/25 - 10:08 AM]
ESPN Delivered Largest Average NBA Christmas Audience Since 2018
The San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game in the 2:30 p.m. window became ESPN's most-watched NBA Christmas game in the timeslot since 2017, averaging 6.7 million viewers.

[12/30/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 22 - "Stranger Things 5" Runs Up That Hill to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the list was "Emily in Paris" Season 5 with 13.3 million views.

[12/30/25 - 08:00 AM]
Aced It! ESPN Scored Most-Watched 2025 NCAA Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
The entirety of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament finished up 13% year over year, averaging 666,000 viewers across the 15 matches and featured the most-watched Regionals on record.

[12/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
Dec. 20 Holiday Episode Ranks as #1 "Saturday Night Live" Telecast of the Season
Hosted by Ariana Grande with musical guest Cher, the episode drew 5.4 million viewers.