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[05/22/16 - 08:50 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Leads Low Key Demo Race
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 (5/21/16):

ABC (2.593 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1) was the demo champ on a low key Saturday with the feature "Toy Story" (2.048 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and "20/20 Saturday" (3.684 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1).

CBS (3.233 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the most-watched network with a repeat "NCIS" (3.325 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #7) and an encore "48 Hours Presents" (3.187 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

Next up was FOX (1.945 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with the return of "Baseball Night in America" (1.945 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

And finally, NBC (1.834 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) closed out the evening with its coverage of "NHL Playoffs: St. Louis at San Jose" (1.852 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and a repeat "Saturday Night Live" (1.797 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

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

· The May 21 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Fred Armisen and musical guest Courtney Barnett, averaged a 3.7 rating, 10 share in household results from the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7/9 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" maintained +100% of the show's May 2015 average for originals in metered-market households (3.7 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 seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/23/15):

NBC (2.583 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) was the network to beat among adults 18-49 on Saturday with its coverage of the "NHL Playoffs: Anaheim at Chicago (Game 4)" (2.583 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1).

CBS (3.891 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the most-watched network overall thanks to repeats of "Madam Secretary" (3.039 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #7), "Blue Bloods" (3.775 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) and "48 Hours" (4.861 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2).

Next up was FOX (2.102 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its primetime edition of "Baseball Night in America" (2.102 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3).

And finally, encores of "500 Questions" (2.249 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) and "In an Instant" (2.088 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) on ABC (2.142 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) closed out the evening.

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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