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[01/09/21 - 05:53 PM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Tops Viewers, Splits Demos with 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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (1/8/21):

CBS (5.712 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) was the top draw on Friday thanks to the return of "MacGyver" (5.062 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "Magnum P.I." (5.662 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (6.410 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

ABC (3.874 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared in the demo honors with its own return of "Shark Tank" (4.440 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) and "20/20" (3.591 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

Next up was FOX (2.003 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with its latest installment of "WWE SmackDown" (2.003 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.558 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) offered up encores of "Mr. Mayor" (2.874 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7), another "Mr. Mayor" (2.191 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9) and a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (2.571 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7).

And finally, The CW (0.795 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed out the night with the season premiere of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.849 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10), a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.818 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10) and the return of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.757 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T10).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Shark Tank (vs. 12/11/20)
+50.00% - 20/20 (vs. 12/11/20)
+25.00% - MacGyver (vs. 12/18/20)
+20.00% - Blue Bloods (vs. 12/18/20)
+20.00% - Magnum P.I. (vs. 12/18/20)
0.00% - WWE SmackDown
0.00% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Shark Tank (vs. American Housewife/Fresh Off the Boat)
0.00% - 20/20
-14.29% - Blue Bloods
-14.29% - Magnum P.I.
-37.50% - MacGyver (vs. Hawaii Five-0)
-37.50% - WWE SmackDown
-42.86% - Dateline NBC
-50.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Repeat))
-50.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Repeats))


Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/10/20):

FOX (2.502 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) was back in front among adults 18-49 with its weekly telecast of "WWE SmackDown" (2.502 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

A close second went to CBS (7.513 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T2) with originals from "Hawaii Five-0" (7.601 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1), "Magnum P.I." (7.065 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "Blue Bloods" (7.874 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

Sharing the silver was NBC (4.176 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T2) with the debut of "Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector" (4.388 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) followed by "Dateline NBC" (4.070 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.106 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up repeats of "American Housewife" (3.415 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) and "Fresh Off the Boat" (2.294 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #9) plus a two-hour "20/20" (3.231 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

And finally, repeats of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.087 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.738 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) and another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.668 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) rounded out the night on The CW (0.895 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Dateline NBC
+14.29% - WWE SmackDown
0.00% - Blue Bloods
-11.11% - Hawaii Five-0
-12.50% - Magnum P.I.
-14.29% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. The Blacklist/Dateline NBC)
0.00% - Hawaii Five-0 (vs. MacGyver)
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (vs. Blindspot)
-12.50% - Blue Bloods
-20.00% - WWE SmackDown (vs. Various)
-22.22% - Magnum P.I. (vs. Hawaii Five-0)

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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