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[01/29/17 - 08:43 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Tops Viewers, Shares Demo Crown with ABC
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 (1/28/17):

NBC (4.313 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) was the most-watched network with its duo of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.852 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "SNL Vintage" (3.236 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

ABC (2.519 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) then shared in the demo honors with "NBA Countdown" (2.192 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #6) and "NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC" (2.584 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

Next up was FOX (2.016 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its quarterly "UFC on FOX" (2.016 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) special.

And finally, CBS (4.004 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening with its mix of "Ransom" (3.310 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7), a repeat "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.657 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and "48 Hours" (5.044 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

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

· A Jan. 28 encore of "Saturday Night Live," with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest The xx, averaged a 3.5/9 in households in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 1.4/7 in 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Excluding the Jan. 7 rebroadcast, which benefited from an NFL Playoff overrun, it's the highest-rated "Saturday Night Live" encore in nearly two years in metered-market households (since Feb. 14, 2015, with an encore of the "SNL" series premiere with host George Carlin and musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston, 3.8).

· In 18-49 in the local people meters, last night's 1.4 equals "Saturday Night Live's" best for a rebroadcast, excluding the NFL-boosted Jan. 7 encore and a Dec. 31 rebroadcast that benefited from the New Year's Eve holiday, since the Feb. 14, 2015 encore of the "SNL" series premiere.

· Versus a rebroadcast on the same night last year, the Jan. 28 "SNL" is up +9% in 18-49 (3.5 vs. 3.2) and up +17% in 18-49 in the local people meters (1.4 vs. 1.2).

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" encore was the #1 telecast of the night on the broadcast networks in 18-49 in the local people meters, outrating every Saturday primetime telecast on those nets in that category, and was tied for #1 for the night in metered-market households.


Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/30/16):

ABC (2.968 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) was the demo champ on Saturday with its presentation of "NBA Countdown" (1.971 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7) and "NBA on ABC" (3.168 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1).

NBC (4.197 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) and FOX (2.385 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) then shared the silver as the latter offered up "UFC on FOX" (2.385 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3).

The Peacock then served up a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (4.750 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) and "Saturday Night Live" (3.089 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3).

And finally, repeats of "48 Hours" (2.826 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7), "Criminal Minds" (2.859 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #6) and a new "48 Hours" (4.365 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) on CBS (3.350 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) closed out the night.

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

· An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Elizabeth Banks and musical guest Exposure (3.2/8 in metered-market households, 1.2/6 in adults 18-49 in the local people meters) delivered the best rating for an "SNL" rebroadcast in nearly a year in metered-market households.

· The 3.2 was the highest household rating for an encore "Saturday Night Live" since Feb. 14 , 2015 (3.8/10 with host George Carlin and musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston, a rebroadcast of the "SNL" series premiere from Oct. 11, 1975).

· In 18-49 in the local people meters, "Saturday Night Live" equaled the show's highest rating for a rebroadcast since May 30, 2015 (1.3/6 with host Cameron Diaz and musical guests Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.

· The "SNL" encore is the #1 non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and adults 18-49 in the local people meters, topping every primetime entertainment show on those networks in both measures.

· 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).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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