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[09/01/19 - 08:33 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: College Football Returns on Top for ABC
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 seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/31/19):

The return of "Saturday Night College Football" (6.126 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) put ABC (6.126 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) on top last night.

NBC (2.160 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2) then was a distant second with encores of "America's Got Talent" (1.767 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2) and "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (2.357 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2).

Next up was CBS (2.084 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2) with its repeat mix of "Blue Bloods" (2.080 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #7), "48 Hours" (2.076 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2) and another "48 Hours" (2.098 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2).

And finally, FOX (1.044 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2) closed out the evening with "FOX PBC Fight Night" (1.044 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T2).

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

· An Aug. 31 encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Matt Damon and musical guests Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus, has averaged a 2.2 rating, 6 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.6/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 2.2 in metered-market households equals the show's highest overnight rating since June 29 (2.3 for an encore hosted by Don Cheadle with musical guest Gary Clark Jr.) and the 0.6 in 18-49 matches the "SNL" high since June 1 (0.7 for a rebroadcast with host Emma Thompson and musical guest Jonas Brothers).

· The Aug. 31 "Saturday Night Live" encore ranks as the #1 non-sports show of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and adults 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime entertainment programs on those nets for the night in both ratings measures.


Here are the highlights of the six ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/1/18):

NBC (6.767 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) kicked off September on top with its coverage of "College Football: Michigan at Notre Dame" (6.767 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

ABC (4.663 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then was the silver draw with the return of "Saturday Night College Football" (4.663 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2).

Next up was CBS (2.490 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) with a new "Pink Collar Crimes" (2.243 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) alongside repeats of "48 Hours" (2.554 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) and another "48 Hours" (2.674 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3).

And finally, FOX (1.186 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) closed out the evening with its return of "CFB on FOX" (1.186 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3).

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

· Due to the overrun of the Michigan-Notre Dame college football game, accurate metered-market ratings for last night's "Saturday Night Live" encore are currently unavailable.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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