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[08/24/18 - 08:19 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Gets Boost from NFL Preseason
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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/23/18):

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

FOX (6.084 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) got a boost on Thursday with its primetime coverage of "NFL Preseason: Eagles at Browns" (6.084 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

CBS (4.634 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then had to settle for the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (5.840 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3), "Mom" (4.900 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4), "Big Brother 20" (5.546 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) and "SWAT" (2.987 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #6).

Next up was ABC (3.768 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) with a new "The Gong Show" (2.883 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7) and the conclusion to "The Story of the Royals, Part 2" (4.211 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.486 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) offered up a repeat "Ellen's Game of Games" (3.377 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5), a new "Trial & Error" (2.008 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9) and the finale of "Trial & Error" (1.671 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9) plus a repeat "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.242 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9).

And finally, second runs of "Supernatural" (0.941 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) and "The Originals" (0.513 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #13) on The CW (0.727 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) finished out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-11.11% - Big Brother 20
-37.50% - The Gong Show (vs. 8/9/18)
-42.86% - Trial & Error - 9:30
-55.56% - Trial & Error - 9:00

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Story of the Royals, Part 2 (vs. Battle of the Network Stars/The Gong Show (Repeat))
-11.11% - Big Brother 20
-28.57% - The Gong Show (vs. Boy Band)
-50.00% - Trial & Error - 9:30 (vs. Great News (Repeat))
-73.33% - Trial & Error - 9:00 (vs. Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update)

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," 1.4/4 with an encore telecast; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.9/6 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.4/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.0/4 with an encore. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2 with an encore.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.5/2 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/24/17):

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

CBS (5.152 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.710 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3), "Kevin Can Wait" (5.532 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4), "Big Brother 19" (6.443 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and "Zoo" (2.892 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10).

NBC (4.649 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then took home the silver with the summer finales to "The Wall" (5.364 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and "Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update" (5.757 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) followed by a repeat "Great News" (3.145 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and a new "The Night Shift" (4.133 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6).

Next up was FOX (2.492 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) with originals from "Beat Shazam" (2.605 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "Love Connection" (2.379 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.343 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) served up the season finale of "Boy Band" (2.729 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9), a new "Battle of the Network Stars" (2.312 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and a repeat "The Gong Show" (1.988 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.675 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.442 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.451 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) rounded out the night on The CW (1.561 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Boy Band
0.00% - Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update
0.00% - The Night Shift
0.00% - Beat Shazam
0.00% - Zoo
0.00% - Love Connection
0.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
0.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
-10.00% - Big Brother 19
-16.67% - The Wall
-16.67% - Battle of the Network Stars

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Repeat))
+100.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
+14.29% - Beat Shazam (vs. Rosewood (Repeat))
-5.26% - Big Brother 19
-6.25% - Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update (vs. NFL Preseason: Atlanta at Miami)
-12.50% - Boy Band (vs. BattleBots)
-25.00% - Love Connection (vs. Bones (Repeat))
-28.57% - Battle of the Network Stars (vs. $100,000 Pyramid (Repeat))
-33.33% - Zoo (vs. Code Black (Repeat))
-37.50% - The Wall (vs. NFL Preseason: Atlanta at Miami)
-50.00% - The Night Shift (vs. NFL Preseason: Atlanta at Miami)

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," 1.8/5 with an encore telecast; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.6/4 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore; CBS's "Late Late Show," 0.8/3 with an encore. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/3 in 18-49 with an encore; "Late Late Show," 0.2/1 with an encore.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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