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[09/01/17 - 08:15 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS, FOX Split Demo Crown
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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/31/17):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Some high rated local pre-season NFL games across all networks are included here but will be excluded from Officials.]

CBS (5.369 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T1) was the most-watched network on Thursday with its mix of "Kevin Can Wait" (5.245 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), another "Kevin Can Wait" (5.332 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4), "Big Brother 19" (6.967 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "Zoo" (3.852 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8).

FOX (4.775 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T1) however shared the demo honors with a repeat "Beat Shazam" (4.860 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) and a new "Love Connection" (4.691 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.782 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with repeats of "The Wall" (5.055 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), another "The Wall" (4.914 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4) and the season finale of "The Night Shift" (4.379 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.279 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up second runs of "Battle of the Network Stars" (3.780 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8), another "Battle of the Network Stars" (3.307 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and "The Gong Show" (2.751 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (2.403 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14) and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (2.527 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) plus a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (2.441 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14) on The CW (2.444 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+116.67% - Love Connection
+75.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
+50.00% - Zoo
+50.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
+12.50% - The Night Shift
+5.56% - Big Brother 19

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
+20.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Repeat))
0.00% - Love Connection (vs. Bones (Repeat))
-17.39% - Big Brother 19
-18.18% - Zoo (vs. Code Black (Repeat))
-25.00% - The Night Shift (vs. American Ninja Warrior (Repeat))

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

TBA


Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/1/16):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (6.934 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) snagged the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.776 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2), "Life in Pieces" (7.436 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3), "Big Brother 18" (7.728 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) and "Code Black" (4.968 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

ABC (5.222 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) then was the number two draw with a new "BattleBots" (5.530 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), the season finale of "BattleBots" (5.694 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) and an encore "Match Game" (4.442 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was FOX (4.979 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) with second runs of "Rosewood" (4.843 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "Bones" (5.114 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.536 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up repeats of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (4.644 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "American Ninja Warrior" (4.483 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

And finally, The CW (1.544 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) likewise opted for encores of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (1.566 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.522 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+62.50% - BattleBots
+21.05% - Big Brother 18

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - BattleBots - 8:00 (vs. Beyond the Tank (Repeat))
0.00% - BattleBots - 9:00 (vs. Mistresses)
-4.17% - Big Brother 18

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

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.5/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.0/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/4.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.8/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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