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[03/22/20 - 09:27 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC, "Dateline" Top Charts
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 nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (3/21/20):

NBC (3.549 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1) claimed top honors on Saturday with its telecasts of "Ellen's Game of Games" (2.885 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.881 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1).

Second place went to ABC (2.715 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #2) with encores of "Shark Tank" (2.959 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and "American Idol" (2.593 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

Next up was CBS (2.789 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #3) and its lineup of "Hawaii Five-0" (3.112 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6), "SWAT" (2.671 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "48 Hours" (2.585 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

And finally, repeats of "LEGO Masters" (0.981 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8) and "9-1-1" (1.171 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8) closed out the night on FOX (1.076 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4).

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

· A March 21 encore edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host JJ Watt and musical guest Luke Combs, has averaged a 2.9 rating in "live plus same day" household results from 44 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.9 rating in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" is tied as the #2 highest-rated "SNL" encore in metered-market households among the 11 aired in this timeslot since Nielsen revised its metered-market methodology on Oct. 5, 2019, trailing over that span only the Jan. 11 rebroadcast (3.1 in metered-market households with host and musical guest Harry Styles). The Feb. 15 "SNL" encore (with host Eddie Murphy and musical guest Lizzo) also scored a 2.9 in metered-market households.

· Versus primetime programming on the Big 4 networks last night, the "SNL" rebroadcast is the #1 show of the night in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters.

· Note that current metered-market results are not compatible with data issued before Oct. 5 due to changes in Nielsen methodology.


Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/23/19):

CBS (5.327 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1) once again got a boost on Saturday from its primetime coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (6.150 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) followed by "48 Hours" (3.682 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2).

ABC (2.342 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #2) then was the silver draw with encores of "American Idol" (2.122 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) and "20/20 Saturday" (2.781 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3).

Next up was NBC (1.953 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #3) with the "World Figure Skating Championships" (1.830 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T6) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.198 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3).

And finally, second runs of "MasterChef Junior" (0.936 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T6) and "9-1-1" (1.146 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T6) on FOX (1.041 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) rounded out the evening.

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

· A March 23 encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host and musical guest Halsey, has averaged a 2.6 rating, 7 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.8/5 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The March 23 "Saturday Night Live" rebroadcast ranks #2 for the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 in the local people meters, behind only CBS' NCAA Tournament basketball coverage in the LPMs.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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