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[04/30/21 - 10:00 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: NFL Draft Opens on Top for 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 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (4/29/21):

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

ABC (4.237 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its primetime coverage of the "2021 NFL Draft - Round 1" (4.237 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1). Said audience fell short of the "2020 NFL Draft - Round 1" (6.141 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.6) last year.

CBS (4.150 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) took home the silver with its lineup of "Young Sheldon" (7.043 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2), "United States of Al" (5.112 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3), "Mom" (5.116 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3), "B Positive" (3.967 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and a repeat "Clarice" (1.830 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10).

Next up was NBC (2.870 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) with a new "Manifest" (3.155 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5), a second "Manifest" (3.067 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and a repeat "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.389 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.526 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) offered up a repeat "Name That Tune" (1.462 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10), a new "Last Man Standing" (2.046 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T8) and the seriers premiere of "Let's Be Real" (1.135 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10).

And finally, The CW (0.840 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed out the night with "People Presents: William & Kate's Royal Anniversary" (0.880 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T13) and a repeat "People Presents: Harry & Meghan's American Dream" (0.799 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Young Sheldon
0.00% - United States of Al
-16.67% - Mom
-20.00% - B Positive
-20.00% - Manifest
-40.00% - Last Man Standing
-60.00% - Let's Be Real (vs. 10/1/20)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Last Man Standing (vs. Mental Samurai (Repeat))
0.00% - Manifest - 9:00 (vs. Council of Dads (Repeat))
0.00% - People Presents: William & Kate's Royal Anniversary (vs. Katy Keene)
-28.57% - United States of Al (vs. Man with a Plan)
-28.57% - Mom (vs. Mom (Repeat))
-33.33% - B Positive (vs. Broke)
-33.33% - Let's Be Real (vs. Mental Samurai (Repeat))
-36.36% - Young Sheldon
-37.50% - 2021 NFL Draft - Round 1 (vs. 4/23/20)
-66.67% - Manifest - 8:00 (vs. The Paley Center Salutes Parks and Recreation/A Parks and Recreation Special)


Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/30/20):

ABC (4.864 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) led a competitive demo race on Thursday with its mix of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (6.219 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5), "Station 19" (5.535 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.840 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9).

CBS (6.353 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2) was a close second with the season finale of "Young Sheldon" (9.974 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) followed by a new "Man with a Plan" (6.636 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T6), a repeat "Mom" (6.166 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T6) and originals from "Broke" (5.051 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9) and "Tommy" (5.145 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11).

Next up was NBC (2.451 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and its special lineup of "The Paley Center Salutes Parks and Recreation" (3.376 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3), "A Parks and Recreation Special" (3.673 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1), a repeat "Council of Dads" (1.818 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and the formal premiere of "Council of Dads" (2.011 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.522 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up the season finale of "Last Man Standing" (4.118 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T6) plus repeats of "Last Man Standing" (2.746 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11) and "Mental Samurai" (1.612 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14).

And finally, The CW (0.419 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed the evening with fresh installments from "Katy Keene" (0.446 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16) and "In the Dark" (0.392 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (vs. 4/22/20)
+16.67% - Man with a Plan
+16.67% - Last Man Standing
+10.00% - Young Sheldon (vs. 4/16/20)
0.00% - Broke
0.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. 4/16/20)
0.00% - Tommy
0.00% - Katy Keene
0.00% - In the Dark
-30.77% - Station 19 (vs. 4/16/20)
-57.14% - Council of Dads (vs. 3/24/20)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+180.00% - A Parks and Recreation Special (vs. AP Bio)
+20.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. For the People)
+11.11% - The Paley Center Salutes Parks and Recreation (vs. Superstore)
0.00% - Last Man Standing (vs. Miss USA 2019)
0.00% - In the Dark
-25.00% - Station 19
-25.00% - Broke (vs. Life in Pieces)
-28.57% - Tommy (vs. SWAT)
-38.89% - Young Sheldon (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
-42.86% - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-50.00% - Man with a Plan (vs. Young Sheldon)
-50.00% - Katy Keene (vs. iZombie)
-62.50% - Council of Dads (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Source: Nielsen Media Research, ShowBuzzDaily.com





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