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[04/05/20 - 09:57 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: "The Ten Commandments" Tops Charts 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 eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (4/4/20):

ABC (5.140 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) was the top Saturday draw with its annual telecast of "The Ten Commandments" (5.140 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

NBC (3.552 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared in the demo honors with a two-hour "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.056 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and "SNL Vintage" (2.543 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3).

Next up was CBS (2.751 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #3) with repeats of "Hawaii Five-0" (2.410 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "SWAT" (2.200 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) plus a new "48 Hours" (3.644 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

And finally, second runs of "9-1-1" (1.285 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T7) and "Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back" (1.017 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T7) closed out the night on FOX (1.151 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4).

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

An April 4 encore edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host RuPaul and musical guest Justin Bieber, has averaged a 2.4 rating in "live plus same day" household results from 44 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.8 rating in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Versus primetime programming on the Big 4 networks Saturday night, the "SNL" rebroadcast is the #2 show of the night in 18-49 in the local people meters, behind only ABC's telecast of "The Ten Commandments."

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


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/6/19):

CBS (14.544 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) surged to the top spot on Saturday with its primetime coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (16.593 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) Final Four followed by a second entry from the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (14.134 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2).

NBC (2.958 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #2) then was a distant second with its mix of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.000 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4), another "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.477 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.398 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

Next up was ABC (2.423 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #3) with encores of "American Idol" (1.986 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #7) and "20/20 Saturday" (3.299 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

And finally, FOX (0.865 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) closed out the evening with second runs of "MasterChef Junior" (0.746 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8) and "9-1-1" (0.984 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8).

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

· The April 6 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Kit Harington and musical guest Sara Bareilles, averaged a 4.4 rating, 11 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 April 6 "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #1 non-sports show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, easily topping all primetime entertainment programs on those nets. In fact, in 18-49 in the local people meters, "SNL" topped all but three primetime entertainment programs on the Big 4 so far this week.

· Versus what "Saturday Night Live" averaged with originals for the month of April last year, the April 6 telecast is up +2% in metered-market households (4.4 vs. 4.3).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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