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[05/18/20 - 07:27 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: "Graduate Together" Tops 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 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/16/20):

NBC (2.258 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #1) was the victor on another modest Saturday with its mix of "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" (2.173 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (2.320 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "SNL Vintage" (2.282 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1).

Second place went to CBS (2.575 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.3, #2) with its lineup of "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" (1.889 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5), "48 Hours" (2.198 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and a new "48 Hours" (3.638 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1).

Next up was ABC (1.295 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T3) with its telecast of "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" (2.247 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1) plus "ESPN on ABC: "Kobe's Final Game" Jazz @ Lakers - April 23, 2016" (0.818 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (0.693 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T3) offered up "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" (0.669 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8) alongside a rebroadcast of "Celebrity Watch Party" (0.717 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8).

And finally, The CW (0.367 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed out the night with "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" (0.367 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #11).

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

TBA


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/18/19):

NBC (2.960 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T1) was the top draw on a low key Saturday with its mix of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (2.903 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4), a second hour of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.383 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.593 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

FOX (2.369 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T1) then shared in the demo honors with the return of "FOX Sports Saturday Presents Major League Baseball" (2.369 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

Next up was CBS (2.449 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) with a repeat "God Friended Me" (1.992 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T7) followed by new episodes of "Ransom" (2.272 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T7) and "48 Hours" (3.084 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5).

And finally, ABC (2.087 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) closed out the night with second runs of "American Idol" (1.906 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T7) and "20/20 Saturday" (2.449 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5).

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

· The May 18 season finale of "Saturday Night Live," with host Paul Rudd and musical guest DJ Khaled, averaged a 4.0 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.6/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The May 18 "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters.

· In metered-market households, "Saturday Night Live" topped the #2 Big 4 telecast of the night, CBS' "48 Hours," by a +48% margin (4.0 vs. 2.7). In 18-49 in the local people meters, "SNL" more than doubled the night's #2 program, Fox's Astros-Red Sox Major League Baseball (1.6 vs. 0.6).

· The year-ago "Saturday Night Live" season finale, with host Tina Fey and musical guest Nicki Minaj earned a 4.5 in metered-market households and a 1.9 in 18-49 in the local people meters on May 19, 2018.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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