or


[05/20/18 - 08:55 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Keeps Demo Crown with NHL Playoffs
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 (5/19/18):

NBC (2.817 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) held onto the top demo spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "NHL Playoffs: Capitals @ Lightning" (2.959 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.531 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2).

CBS (4.429 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then claimed the silver with its news special "Royal Romance: The Marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle" (4.680 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and a new "48 Hours" (3.930 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4).

Next up was ABC (2.531 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with second runs of "American Idol" (2.031 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "20/20 Saturday" (3.530 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4).

And finally, encores of "MasterChef Junior" (1.022 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "Showtime at the Apollo" (0.981 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8) on FOX (1.001 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) rounded out the night.

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has delivered its highest overnight ratings since April 7.

· The May 19 edition of "Saturday Night Live," the season finale with host Tina Fey and musical guest Nicki Minaj, has averaged a 4.5 rating, 11 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.9/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· It's the highest-rated "Saturday Night Live" in both measures since the April 7 telecast, with host Chadwick Boseman and musical guest Cardi B (4.6 in metered-market households, 2.0 in 18-49 in the local people meters).

· The May 19 telecast, which included appearances by Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Jerry Seinfeld, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Rock, Fred Armisen, Anne Hathaway, Tracy Morgan, Donald Glover, Lin-Manuel Miranda and John Goodman, scored as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, topping in both measures all primetime programs on those nets.

· The May 19 "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 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/20/17):

NBC (2.697 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) claimed the demo crown on Saturday with its primetime portion of the "NHL Playoffs: Predators at Ducks" (2.688 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) followed by "SNL Vintage" (2.716 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

CBS (2.853 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) then was the most-watched network with a repeat "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.196 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) alongside the departing "Training Day" (2.536 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) and a new "48 Hours" (2.826 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5).

Next up was ABC (2.544 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) and its encore lineup of "American Housewife" (1.503 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7), "Downward Dog" (1.390 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7), "20/20 Saturday" (2.854 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) and another "20/20 Saturday" (3.330 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

And finally, "FOX Sports Saturday Presents Major League Baseball" (2.544 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) rounded out the night on FOX (2.194 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2).

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, while delivering the show's most-watched season finale in six years.

· The May 20 edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host Dwayne Johnson and musical guest Katy Perry, averaged 8.272 million viewers overall and a 2.32 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, ranks as the #1 telecast so far this week on the broadcast networks in adult 18-49 rating, outrating the week's current #2 show, Fox's "Empire" (2.17) by a +7% margin.

· The 8.272 million is "Saturday's Night Live's" biggest overall audience for a season finale since May 21, 2011 (with host Justin Timberlake and musical guest Lady Gaga, 9.818 million). In 18-49, it's the top-rated "SNL" season-closer since May 18, 2013 (with host Ben Affleck and musical guest Kanye West, 2.37).

· Versus "Saturday Night Live's" average with originals for the month of May last year, this week's telecast is up +45% in adults 18-49 (with a 2.32 rating vs. a 1.60) and +3.0 million persons or +58% in total viewers (8.272 million vs. 5.233 million for the month of May 2016).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [may 2018]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[01/07/26 - 12:32 PM]
Bowl Season on ESPN Networks Delivers Strongest Audience Since 2015-16
ABC delivered its largest non CFP bowl audience in 12 years, averaging 6.2 million viewers across six games.

[01/07/26 - 09:29 AM]
In 2025, Fans Power ESPN and "ESPN on ABC" to Its Most-Watched Year in Over a Decade
ESPN networks increased industry-leading sports share to 35 percent, up from 31 percent in 2024.

[01/06/26 - 03:18 PM]
FOX NFL Rings in Best Regular Season Since 2015
The regular season averaged 19.633 million viewers for the network.

[01/06/26 - 03:00 PM]
Record-Setting Season as "Sunday Night Football" on NBC and Peacock Averages 23.5 Million Viewers & Paces as Primetime's #1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
"Sunday Night Football" averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 23.5 million viewers for the 2025 season.

[01/06/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 29 - "Stranger Things 5" Concludes Right Side Up at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the English TV list with 12.7 million views is the new Harlan Coben mystery series "Run Away," centered on a father desperate for clues about his missing daughter while a string of related murders heightens the urgency to find her.

[01/05/26 - 02:34 PM]
2025-26 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals on ESPN Score 19.3 Million Average Viewers; CFP Up YOY Through Two Rounds
The Rose Bowl (Indiana vs. Alabama) topped all coverage with 23.9 million viewers on average.

[01/05/26 - 09:49 AM]
Prime Video Delivers "Thursday Night Football's" Most-Watched Season Ever
The 2025 season averaged 15.33 million viewers throughout its 15-game campaign, marking a +16% increase over the 2024 season and the third-consecutive year of double-digit, year-over-year viewership growth.

[01/02/26 - 03:45 PM]
"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" Rises to Four Year High Reaching 30 Million Total Viewers at Midnight
The telecast averaged 18.8 million total viewers in the 11:30pm-12:30am hour alone.

[01/02/26 - 09:49 AM]
FOX NFL's Week 17 "America's Game of the Week" Comes Out on Top with 28.8 Million Viewers
The Eagles-Bills close finish marked FOX's second most-watched telecast of the regular season.

[12/31/25 - 12:46 PM]
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-Vikings Becoming the Most-Streamed NFL Game in US History
Said coverage averaged 27.5 million viewers in the US, with US viewership peaking at over 30 million viewers.

[12/31/25 - 10:11 AM]
NFL on Prime's Christmas Night Showdown Between the Broncos and Chiefs Sets New Viewership Marks for "TNF"
The streamer's "Thursday Night Football" finale averaged 21.06 million viewers, peaking with 22.90 million.

[12/31/25 - 10:08 AM]
ESPN Delivered Largest Average NBA Christmas Audience Since 2018
The San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game in the 2:30 p.m. window became ESPN's most-watched NBA Christmas game in the timeslot since 2017, averaging 6.7 million viewers.

[12/30/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 22 - "Stranger Things 5" Runs Up That Hill to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the list was "Emily in Paris" Season 5 with 13.3 million views.

[12/30/25 - 08:00 AM]
Aced It! ESPN Scored Most-Watched 2025 NCAA Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
The entirety of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament finished up 13% year over year, averaging 666,000 viewers across the 15 matches and featured the most-watched Regionals on record.

[12/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
Dec. 20 Holiday Episode Ranks as #1 "Saturday Night Live" Telecast of the Season
Hosted by Ariana Grande with musical guest Cher, the episode drew 5.4 million viewers.