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[12/17/20 - 09:35 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: "The Masked Singer" Closes Season on Top
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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/16/20):

FOX (6.202 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) scored top honors on Wednesday thanks to a new "The Masked Singer" (5.261 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) followed by the season finale of "The Masked Singer" (7.143 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

CBS (4.210 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) was the silver draw with the season finale of "The Amazing Race 32" (4.307 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) alongside the fall finales of "SEAL Team" (4.351 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and "S.W.A.T." (3.972 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

Next up was ABC (3.112 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) with fresh installments of "The Great Christmas Light Fight" (4.080 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4), another "The Great Christmas Light Fight" (3.087 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and the fall finale of "For Life" (2.168 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.835 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) opted for encores of "Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes - At Home Holiday Special" (3.021 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9) and "A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special" (2.742 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

And finally, the season finale of "Devils" (0.374 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T11) and a rebroadcast of "Penn & Teller: Merry Fool Us" (0.418 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T11) on The CW (0.396 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - The Masked Singer - 8:00
+14.29% - The Amazing Race 32
+6.25% - The Masked Singer - 9:00 (vs. 12/2/20)
0.00% - The Great Christmas Light Fight - 8:00
0.00% - S.W.A.T.
0.00% - For Life
0.00% - Devils
-16.67% - SEAL Team
-16.67% - The Great Christmas Light Fight - 9:00

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - For Life (vs. Various (Repeats))
-22.73% - The Masked Singer - 9:00
-29.41% - The Masked Singer - 8:00
-33.33% - The Amazing Race 32 (vs. Survivor: Island of the Idols)
-36.36% - The Great Christmas Light Fight - 8:00 (vs. Various)
-37.50% - S.W.A.T. (vs. Survivor: Island of the Idols Reunion)
-44.44% - The Great Christmas Light Fight - 9:00 (vs. Various)
-50.00% - Devils (vs. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (Repeat))
-58.33% - SEAL Team (vs. Survivor: Island of the Idols)


Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/18/19):

FOX (7.377 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) was the top draw on Wednesday thanks to the penultimate "The Masked Singer" (6.426 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) and the season finale of "The Masked Singer" (8.327 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1).

CBS (6.102 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then claimed the silver with the finale to "Survivor: Island of the Idols" (6.425 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) followed by its "Survivor: Island of the Idols Reunion" (4.488 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5).

Next up was ABC (4.069 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) and its special "Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times'" (5.786 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) alongside repeats of "Black-ish" (3.272 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #7), "Mixed-ish" (2.018 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10) and another "Mixed-ish" (1.765 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.330 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) opted for encores of "Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways" (4.442 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5), another "Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways" (2.737 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T8) and the concluding "Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways" (2.810 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T8).

And finally, The CW (0.700 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening with a rebroadcast of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (0.781 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) and the special "Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2019" (0.618 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.00% - The Masked Singer - 9:00 (vs. 11/6/19)
0.00% - Survivor: Island of the Idols
-10.53% - The Masked Singer - 8:00

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+450.00% - The Masked Singer - 9:00 (vs. Star (Repeat))
+240.00% - The Masked Singer - 8:00 (vs. Empire (Repeat))
+64.18% - Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times' (vs. Various (Repeats))
-20.00% - Survivor: Island of the Idols Reunion
-20.00% - Survivor: Island of the Idols
-50.00% - Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2019 (vs. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Repeat))

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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