or


[12/08/19 - 08:56 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Wins College Football Showdown
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 seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/7/19):

FOX (12.494 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) surged to the top spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "Big Ten Football Championship Game" (12.494 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

The siliver then went to ABC (3.733 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) with its presentation of the "ACC Championship Game" (3.733 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was CBS (3.195 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with repeats of "Bull" (3.833 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) and "48 Hours" (2.463 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) plus a new "48 Hours" (3.290 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4).

And finally, NBC (2.128 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the night with "The Voice" (1.628 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (2.489 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and "SNL Vintage" (2.267 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5).

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

· The Dec. 7 edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host Jennifer Lopez and musical guest DaBaby, has averaged a 4.2 rating in "live plus same day" household results from 44 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7 rating in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Note that current metered-market results are not compatible with data issued before Oct. 5 due to changes in Nielsen methodology.

· The Dec. 7 "Saturday Night Live" is the #2 highest-rated "SNL" original in metered-market households among the seven that have aired since Nielsen changed its methodology Oct. 5, and ranks within 0.1 of a point of the highest rated of those seven, the Nov. 23 edition (4.3 with host Will Ferrell and musical guest King Princess).

· Versus primetime programming on the Big 4 networks last night, "SNL" is the #2 show of the night in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters, behind only Fox's Ohio State-Wisconsin Big 10 Championship college football.


Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/8/18):

CBS (3.721 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) took home top honors on Saturday with its holiday mix of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (4.079 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1), "Frosty the Snowman" (3.765 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1), "Frosty Returns" (2.929 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) and "48 Hours" (3.737 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

NBC (3.497 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then was the silver draw with its lineup of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.396 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #7), another "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.739 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (3.357 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was FOX (1.333 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with its coverage of "MLS Cup 2018" (3.737 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #8).

And finally, a rebroadcast of "The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition" (1.793 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9) and the relocated "The Alec Baldwin Show" (1.053 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #10) rounded out the night on ABC (1.546 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· The Dec. 8 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Jason Momoa and musical guest Mumford & Sons, averaged a 4.3 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 1.7 rating in 18-49 equals "SNL's" high since the show's Sept. 29 season premiere (2.3 with host Adam Driver and musical guest Kanye West).

· The Dec. 8 "Saturday Night Live" easily ranks the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime shows on those nets in both categories. The 1.7 rating in 18-49 in the local people meters nearly doubles the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 (0.9 for the 10 p.m. "SNL Vintage" encore).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [september 2026]  
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
[09/10/26 - 11:02 AM]
Wisconsin-Notre Dame on NBC & Peacock Is NBC Sports' Third-Most Watched Notre Dame Football Game Since 2005, Averaging 8.1 Million Viewers
The audience for the No. 4 Fighting Irish's 41-13 victory peaked at 9.7 million viewers in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET) as Notre Dame led 13-10.

[09/09/26 - 03:52 PM]
"College GameDay" Wins Week 1 With Top-Three Regular Season Show on Record
Coverage of Clemson/LSU was the top Saturday game of Week 1.

[09/09/26 - 03:30 PM]
ESPN's US Open Coverage Is Most-Viewed Since 2022 Through Third Round
The full-tournament average so far is up 5% over 2025 and the most viewed since 2022, the year of Serena Williams' final match before her return this year.

[09/09/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 31
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Off Campus," "The Grand Tour," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[09/08/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of August 31 - "The Whisper Man" Tracks Down No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"Death of the Pastor's Wife" held the top spot of the English TV list with 13.9 million views.

[09/08/26 - 10:09 AM]
FOX MLB Posts Best Regular Season Thursday Night Baseball Telecast Since 2022
2,668,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX Thursday for a two-game slate highlighted by the Cubs' 2-1 win over the Brewers in most of the country.

[09/08/26 - 10:02 AM]
ESPN Studio Lineup Continues 2026 Momentum with Record August Audiences
As a year-long pattern of strong viewership continued, multiple programs delivered their best August viewership on record, while overall studio show audiences increased 13% year over year.

[09/04/26 - 11:49 AM]
ABC News Wins Friday Night and Late Night
"20/20" posted double-digit gains week to week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, hitting 6-week highs in both measures.

[09/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 24
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Off Campus," "Ride or Die," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[09/02/26 - 08:37 AM]
New Mexico State at Florida State Delivers The CW's Most-Watched Sports Broadcast in Network History
Viewership peaked at 2.4 million total viewers from 9:15-9:30pm ET as the Florida State Seminoles defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 34-17.

[09/01/26 - 04:00 PM]
2026 Little League Baseball World Series Delivered Largest Audience Since 2015
The Championship Game between CuraƧao and Henderson, Nevada, averaged 2.9M viewers on ABC, up 21% year over year.

[09/01/26 - 03:16 PM]
FOX IndyCar Continues Viewership Momentum
950,000 viewers watched Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward deliver the first of two victories from the Milwaukee Mile Sunday on FOX.

[09/01/26 - 03:01 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Is No. 1 Among All Networks
3,161,000 viewers tuned-in for a two-game slate highlighted by the Yankees' 9-2 win over the Red Sox in most of the country.

[09/01/26 - 02:54 PM]
ESPN Delivers Top Games in College Football's Week 0
4.9 million viewers tuned into the North Carolina Tar Heels defeat the TCU Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland.

[09/01/26 - 02:28 PM]
Players Era Volleyball Showcase Serves Second Most-Watched Volleyball Telecast Ever on FOX
1,040,000 viewers watched Nebraska beat Texas Sunday afternoon on FOX.