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[05/06/18 - 08:38 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBA Playoffs Push ABC in Front
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 (5/5/18):

ABC (5.072 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) got a boost on Saturday thanks to its coverage of the "NBA Playoffs: Raptors @ Cavaliers" (5.072 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

NBC (3.536 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then offered up the primetime portion of "NHL Playoffs: Penguins @ Capitals" (3.913 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.781 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was CBS (3.210 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) and its mix of "Ransom" (2.761 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5), "NCIS" (2.938 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "48 Hours" (3.931 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4).

And finally, encores of "MasterChef Junior" (1.119 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and a second "MasterChef Junior" (1.329 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) rounded out the night on FOX (1.224 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· The May 5 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Donald Glover and featuring Glover as musical guest Childish Gambino, has averaged a 4.1 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.8/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The May 5 telecast, which included appearances in the cold open by Ben Stiller, Martin Short, Jimmy Fallon, Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin and Stormy Daniels, virtually matched the how's results for the same night last year (4.1/10 in metered-market households and 1.9/9 in 18-49 in the local people meters on May 6, 2017).

· "Saturday Night Live" ranked as the #1 entertainment show of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters, topping the primetime non-sports programs on those nets.

· The May 5 "SNL" aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and was replayed at 11:30 in western markets.


Here are the highlights of the seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/6/17):

ABC (4.417 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) claimed the top spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "NBA Playoffs: Golden State at Utah" (4.417 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1).

NBC (3.373 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then was the silver draw with the primetime portion of "NHL Playoffs: Pittsburgh at Washington" (3.722 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) followed by "SNL Vintage" (2.674 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was FOX (2.154 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and the return of "FOX Sports Saturday Presents Major League Baseball" (2.154 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

And finally, a repeat "NCIS" (3.704 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and new episodes of "Training Day" (3.219 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "48 Hours" (4.283 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) rounded out the night on CBS (3.735 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has outrated every primetime telecast on the broadcast networks so far this week in adults 18-49 except "The Big Bang Theory," while delivering the most-watched "SNL" May telecast in nearly five years.

· The May 6 edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host Chris Pine and musical guest LCD Soundsystem, averaged 6.919 million viewers overall and a 1.87 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 the May 19, 2012 season finale, (with host and musical guest Mick Jagger, 6.954 million).

· With its 1.87 rating in adults 18-49, the May 6 "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #2 telecast so far this week on the broadcast networks in adult 18-49 rating, behind only "The Big Bang Theory" (2.48) and edging out "Empire" (1.85).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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