Thursday Primetime Results:

Here are initial metered-market highlights for last night's primetime Olympic coverage on NBC:

· The bonus night of Winter Olympics coverage from Sochi posted an 11.8 rating, 18 share in metered-market households from 8-11 p.m. ET, the best Thursday metered-market primetime rating on any broadcast net since NBC's Ravens-Broncos NFL Kickoff telecast on Sept. 5, 2013.

· NBC's Olympics coverage ranked #1 among the broadcast networks for six of six half hours in metered-market households.

· The top 10 local markets for last night's NBC Olympics coverage were: Minneapolis, 17.7 rating, 29 share; Indianapolis, 17.0/28; Kansas City, 16.1/25; Denver, 15.5/25; Oklahoma City, 15.3/22; Ft. Myers, 14.9/23; Salt Lake City, 14.8/27; Dayton, 14.7/22; Providence, 14.4/22; and Milwaukee 14.1/22

In Late-Night Metered Markets Thursday Night (note that the Philadelphia market is excluded from these averages):

· Jay Leno's final telecast hosting "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" has delivered the show's highest overnight rating in nearly five years, since March 2009.

· Leno averaged a 9.2 rating, 22 share in households in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research (with the Philadelphia market excluded last night), best since March 19, 2009 (the night President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to appear on a late-night talk show, 11.3/26).

· The final "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" more than tripled the show's season average in metered-market households, 2.8/7 heading into this week.

· "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" followed last night with its highest rating ever, a 4.6/15 in metered-market households. That tops the prior record of a 4.2/12 with a special 11:56 p.m. ET telecast on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The prior high for a weeknight "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" was a 3.9/13 on March 19, 2009, the night of President Obama's appearance on "Tonight." The 4.6 is also the highest for the "Late Night" franchise since "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" earned a 4.6/20 on Thursday, May 14, 1998, the night of the "Seinfeld" finale.

· Fallon tripled the show's 1.5 season average in metered-market households heading into this week.

· Guests on "Tonight" Thursday included Billy Crystal and Garth Brooks, with appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Jack Black, Carol Burnett, Sheryl Crow, Jim Parsons, Kim Kardashian and Chris Paul. Appearing in taped messages were Jimmy Fallon, Bob Costas, Steve Carell, Olivia Wilde, Miley Cyrus, Martha Stewart, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Sheen, Tyler Perry, Bill Maher, Kevin Hart, Dana Carvey, Larry the Cable Guy and President Barack Obama.

· The Feb. 6 edition of "Late Night" featured Colin Farrell, Chris Pratt and musical guest 2 Chainz.

· Fast-official national ratings for "Tonight" and "Late Night" are expected later today.

Late-Night Details:

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 9.2/22; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.4/15; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (4.6/15 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (1.9/12 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.

BONUS NIGHT OF OLYMPICS COVERAGE ON NBC POSTS BEST THURSDAY PRIMETIME RATING & VIEWERSHIP ON ANY NETWORK SINCE SEPTEMBER

Average of 20 Million Viewers for Last Night's Pre-Opening Ceremony Coverage

In Adults 18-49, NBC Exceeds Combined Total of Other Broadcast Nets

STAMFORD, Conn. - February 7, 2014 - Last night's bonus Sochi Winter Olympics coverage on NBC posted the highest average rating and viewership for Thursday primetime on any network in more than five months, according to live plus same day fast national data released today by The Nielsen Company.

NBC's telecast (8:30-11 pm) earned an 11.3/18 household rating/share and averaged 20.0 million viewers, marking the best primetime rating and viewership on any network on a Thursday since NBC's NFL Kickoff game telecast on Sept. 5, 2013, which featured the Super Bowl-champion Baltimore Ravens visiting quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Last night's Olympic broadcast was the first ever for the network on the night before the Opening Ceremony and included the debut of the team figure skating and snowboarding slopestyle events as well as the women's moguls competition.

In addition to ranking #1 in rating and viewership, the Thursday night Olympics broadcast on NBC earned a 6.0 primetime rating in the Adult 18-49 demographic - topping the combined total of ABC, CBS and FOX for the night.

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history.