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[05/14/17 - 10:36 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NHL Playoffs 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 nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/13/17):

NBC (3.382 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) was the network to beat on Saturday with its primetime coverage of the "NHL Playoffs: Senators at Penguins" (3.495 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1) and "SNL Vintage" (3.155 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2).

Second place then went to CBS (3.250 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) and its mix of "48 Hours" (3.098 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) followed by new episodes of "Training Day" (2.596 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) and "48 Hours" (4.057 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3).

Sharing the silver was ABC (1.857 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) with the feature "Monsters University" (1.897 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) and "20/20 Saturday" (1.779 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5).

And finally, encores of "MasterChef Junior" (0.936 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #9) and another "MasterChef Junior" (1.157 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) rounded out the night on FOX (1.046 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has equaled the highest-rated primetime entertainment show on the broadcast networks in the last seven weeks in adults 18-49 and delivered the most-watched "SNL" May telecast in the last seven years.

· The May 13 edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host Melissa McCarthy and musical guest Haim, averaged 10.337 million viewers overall and a 2.74 rating in adults 18-49 in "fast official" "live plus same day" results from Nielsen Media Research.

· The telecast, which aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and counted unduplicated viewers from 11:30 encores in western markets, generated the show's biggest overall audience for a May edition since May 8, 2010, (with host Betty White and musical guest Jay Z, 12.052 million). In 18-49, it's a high for a May "SNL" in six years, since the May 21, 2011 season finale (3.68 with host Justin Timberlake and musical guest Lady Gaga).

· With its 2.74 rating in adults 18-49, the May 13 "Saturday Night Live" ties as the #1 telecast so far this week on the broadcast networks in adult 18-49 rating, matching CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" (2.74 on Thursday night).


Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (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).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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