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[05/15/16 - 10:34 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Demos with "The Blind Side"
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 (5/14/16):

ABC (3.435 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1) took home the demo crown on Saturday with the feature "The Blind Side" (3.435 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T1).

NBC (3.278 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then was a close second with its duo of "Dateline NBC" (3.636 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) and a repeat "Saturday Night Live" (2.563 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3).

Next up was CBS (3.688 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and second runs of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.116 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.554 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) alongside a new "48 Hours" (4.396 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T1).

And finally, encores of "Houdini & Doyle" (1.079 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) and "American Grit" (0.790 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) on FOX (0.935 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the night.

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

· The May 14 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host and musical guest Drake, averaged a 3.9 rating, 10 share in household results from the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.8/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters, ahead of all primetime programs on those nets in both measures.

· "Saturday Night Live" grew +5% versus the show's May 2015 average for originals in metered-market households (3.9 vs 3.7 for May 2015).

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals growing by +49% going from L+SD to L+7 in adults 18-49 (1.86 to 2.77) and +2.127 million persons in total viewers (6.184 million to 8.311 million).


Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/16/15):

CBS (4.688 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1) was the network to beat on Saturday with its mix of "NCIS: New Orleans" (4.184 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and "CSI: Cyber" (3.957 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) repeats followed by a new "48 Hours" (5.925 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1).

The silver then went to ABC (2.861 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its specials "Dancing with the Stars: Road to the Finals" (3.782 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T6) and "Countdown to the 2015 Billboard Music Awards" (2.276 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #8) alongside a repeat "Shark Tank" (2.525 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

Next up was NBC (2.264 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with encores of "The Voice" (2.182 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T6) and "Saturday Night Live" (2.428 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

And finally, second runs of "Hell's Kitchen" (0.931 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9) and "Bones" (1.295 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9) closed out the night on FOX (1.113 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4).

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

· "Saturday Night Live," with host Louis C.K. and musical guest Rihanna (3.8 rating, 10 share in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets, 1.8/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters) matched the show's highest household rating in the metered markets since March 7 (4.0/10 with host Chris Hemsworth and musical guest Zac Brown Band), equaling over that span the April 11 edition (3.8/10 with host Taraji P. Henson and musical guest Mumford & Sons).

· This week's "SNL" is the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 in the Local People Meters, ahead of all primetime programs on those nets in that key measure. "SNL"s 1.8 tripled the highest 18-49 rating among primetime Big 4 programs in those markets last night (0.6 by four different telecasts).

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals this season growing by an average of +43% going from "live plus same day ratings" to "live plus seven day" in national adult 18-49 rating (from a 1.91 rating to a 2.74).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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