or


[09/07/20 - 08:07 AM]
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Leads Viewers, Demos with NBA 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/6/20):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live sports.]

ABC (3.804 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) claimed top honors on Sunday with its mix of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.576 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2), "NBA Countdown" (2.813 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) and "NBA Playoffs: Houston at Los Angeles" (3.694 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1).

CBS (3.313 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #2) was the silver draw with its lineup of "60 Minutes" (6.128 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5), "Big Brother 22" (3.523 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4), "Love Island" (1.724 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and a repeat "NCIS: New Orleans" (1.877 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.2, #9).

Next up was NBC (1.389 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #3) with its combination of "Cannonball" (1.575 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #8) and "NHL Playoffs: Dallas at Vegas" (1.326 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (0.904 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T4) served up "FOX NFL Sunday 2020 Season Preview" (0.824 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10) and "FOX PBC Fight Night" (0.944 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10).

And finally, a new "Fridge Wars" (0.349 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10) and a repeat "Supernatural" (0.327 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10) on The CW (0.338 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Love Island
0.00% - Fridge Wars (vs. 8/23/20)
-11.11% - Big Brother 22
-20.00% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Love Island (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat))
-33.33% - Big Brother 22
-50.00% - Fridge Wars (vs. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Repeat))
-50.00% - 60 Minutes


Here are the highlights of the 20 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/8/19):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live sports.]

NBC (15.683 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) was of course the top draw on Sunday with the formal premieres of "Football Night in America #1" (6.665 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6), "Football Night in America #2" (9.139 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (13.423 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (19.247 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1).

FOX (8.305 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed the silver with a full hour of "The OT" (15.708 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.1, #2) followed by repeats of "The Simpsons" (11.871 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4), "Last Man Standing" (3.257 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "Family Guy" (1.902 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and another "Last Man Standing" (1.383 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11).

Next up was CBS (4.544 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its mix of "60 Minutes" (7.701 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #9), "Big Brother 21" (4.948 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (2.635 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) and "NCIS: New Orleans" (2.893 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #17).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.398 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (3.799 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11) and "Celebrity Family Feud" (3.553 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11) plus originals from "The $100,000 Pyramid" (3.406 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11) and "To Tell the Truth" (2.833 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15).

And finally, repeats of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.721 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T18), "Masters of Illusion" (0.578 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T18) and another "Masters of Illusion" (0.529 million viewers, #20; adults 18-49: 0.1, #20) on The CW (0.637 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Big Brother 21
-16.67% - The $100,000 Pyramid (vs. 8/25/19)
-33.33% - To Tell the Truth (vs. 8/25/19)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Sunday Night Football
0.00% - Football Night in America #2
0.00% - Football Night in America #1
-20.00% - Big Brother 21
-25.00% - Football Night in America #3
-28.57% - The $100,000 Pyramid (vs. The 2019 Miss America Competition)
-42.86% - To Tell the Truth (vs. The 2019 Miss America Competition)

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [september 2020]  
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
[10/26/26 - 11:32 AM]
ESPN's NBA Opening Week Delivered Its Largest Audience Since 2014
The Philadelphia 76ers' victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers averaged 2.5 million viewers, up 26% from last year's comparable game.

[10/26/26 - 09:26 AM]
"CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton" Scores Nearly 5 Million Total Viewers on ABC and Disney+
The special ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers from 9-11 p.m. (4.74 million), leading its closest competitors in the timeslot by double digits.

[10/23/26 - 03:54 PM]
ESPN's NBA Opening Wednesday Delivered Its Second-Largest Audience Ever
The Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the Miami Heat averaged 2.52 million viewers, up 16% from last year's comparable game.

[10/23/26 - 03:25 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 3 Since 1999, Best Ever on Cable
1.71 million viewers on average tuned into Wednesday night's Game 3 coverage across USA Sports' linear platforms (USA Network and CNBC) and streaming on Peacock.

[10/23/26 - 08:30 AM]
Record College Football Viewership Propels ESPN to Second Best Start Since 2011 with "College GameDay" on Track for Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks are averaging 2.2 million viewers across 120 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU - the second-best start for ESPN since 2011.

[10/22/26 - 04:01 PM]
ABC News Wins Across Friday Night, Sunday Morning and Late-Night
"20/20: The Suitcase Murders" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/22/26 - 04:00 PM]
CBS Dominates Its Premiere Week in Seven-Day Multiplatform Viewership, Up +14% from Last Year, with Six Series Topping 10 Million Viewers
Among its broadcast competition, CBS claimed eight of the top 10 series.

[10/22/26 - 02:50 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers Most-Watched NBA Tip-Off Primetime Game Ever with 76ers-Knicks
Viewership peaked at 9.1 million - an NBA Tip-Off record - from 9:45-10:00 pm ET as the 76ers clinched the victory.

[10/22/26 - 02:00 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Waltzes to Season High During Heartfelt "Dedication Night" with 7.36 Million Total Viewers
The October 20 episode hit a season high with the show's best non-finale episode in six years.

[10/21/26 - 04:01 PM]
USA Sports' Coverage of Dream-Valkyries Game 2 Is Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 2 Ever on Cable
Monday night's coverage averaged 1.33 million viewers across USA Sports' linear platforms (USA Network, CNBC and E!).

[10/21/26 - 03:15 PM]
It's Back to School at "Abbott Elementary" as Show Returns with Over 6 Million Total Viewers
The premiere episode scored the show's best streaming performance since Season 4, based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

[10/21/26 - 02:31 PM]
Commanders-49ers on "Monday Night Football" Delivers 17.9 Million Viewers
Six weeks into ESPN's Super Bowl LXI season, "Monday Night Football" is up 23% compared to the same point in 2025, averaging 19 million viewers.

[10/21/26 - 11:01 AM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of October 12
"Carrie," "Neagley," "Reacher," "Off Campus," and "Sterling Point" led all original series worldwide.

[10/21/26 - 06:39 AM]
NFL Network's London Slate Culminates with 6.4M Viewers for Jaguars-Texans
Season to date, through three games in London, NFL Network is averaging 6.9M viewers, up 15% vs. the network's six-game International Series average last season.

[10/21/26 - 06:30 AM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 1 Ever
Led by Gabby Williams' 26 points, Golden State's 68-64 win over Atlanta peaked at 3.0 million viewers for the game's exciting conclusion from 5:45 - 5:55 p.m. ET.