NBC'S SOCHI OLYMPICS COVERAGE DOMINATES THE PRIMETIME WEEK OF FEB. 17-23 IN ALL KEY MEASURES

Season to Date, NBC Ranks #1, Up 19% vs. One Year Ago and Holding the Lead This Late in the Season for the First Time in 10 Years

Monday's Sochi Coverage is the Most-Watched Second Monday of a Winter Olympics Since 2002

The Feb. 19 Olympics Telecast Delivers the Biggest Total-Viewer Average for a Second Wednesday Since Salt Lake City in 2002

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Olympics Coverage Tops the Combined Big 4 Competition and Sunday's Coverage Delivers a Convincing Win on a Competitive Night

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Feb. 25, 2014 - NBC's coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics has led the network to weeklong wins among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures. According to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, NBC averaged a 4.2 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49 and 17.7 million viewers overall for the week of Feb. 17-23,

For the Sochi Winter Olympics from the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 7 through the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 23, NBC averaged 21.4 million viewers for its primetime coverage, a 6% increase versus the 20.2 million average for the last European Winter Games in Torino in 2006. NBC's primetime coverage of the live (ET/CT) 2010 Vancouver Games averaged 24.4 million viewers.

NBC won the week in adults 18-49 rating for the 17th time this season, the most weekly wins for NBC at this point in the season in 16 years (since winning 19 weeks at this time during the 1997-98 season). The total-viewer win is NBC's sixth this season, the most at this point in the season for NBC in 12 years (since winning eight weeks at this time in 2001-02)

NBC's seven nights of Olympics coverage ranked #1-7 among primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 last week (including a tie for #7 with Fox's Daytona 500 coverage). Olympics telecasts accounted for the top eight for the week in total viewers, with the seven nights of primetime coverage, plus Sunday's "Nancy & Tonya" documentary.

Through 22 weeks of the season, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and other key demos. It's the first time NBC has ranked #1 this late in the season in 10 years (since the 2003-04 season). NBC's 3.1 rating in adults 18-49 is the network's top average at this point in the season in six years (since a 3.1 in 2007-08). Versus one year ago, NBC is up 19% season to date in adults 18-49 (3.1 vs. 2.6).

In total viewers, NBC ranks #2 for the season with an average of 10.5 million viewers, which is its biggest overall audience 22 weeks into the season in 10 years (since 2003-04, 11.0 million). Versus one year ago, NBC is up 37% season to date in total viewers (10.5 million vs. 7.6 million).

Primetime averages for the week of Feb. 17-23 in adults 18-49 are: NBC, 4.2/12; Fox, 1.8/5; CBS, 1.1/3; ABC, 1.1/3; and CW, 0.3/1. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: NBC, 17.7 million; CBS, 6.1 million; Fox, 6.1 million; ABC, 4.2 million; and CW, 0.9 million.

Season-to-date averages are: NBC, 3.1/9; Fox, 2.8/8; CBS, 2.5/7; ABC, 2.0/6; and CW, 0.8/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 11.0 million; NBC, 10.5 million; Fox, 8.3 million; ABC, 7.2 million; and CW, 1.9 million.

NBC highlights for the week of Feb. 17-23:

Monday: Feb. 17 Olympic coverage (5.6/15 in 18-49, 23.5 million viewers overall from 8-11:02 p.m. ET), which featured Meryl Davis and Charlie White winning America's first-ever ice dancing Olympic gold medal, finished as the most-watched second Monday of a Winter Olympics since the live U.S.-based Salt Lake City Games in 2002. It was also the best non-domestic second Monday of an Olympics since Lillehammer in 1994. For the night, NBC topped the combined primetime viewership of ABC, CBS and Fox (18.3 million viewers) by 28%. The 23.5 million viewers beat the comparable second Monday for the 2010 Vancouver Games (20.9 million viewers) by 13%.

Tuesday: Sochi coverage (5.0/14 in 18-49, 18.9 million viewers overall from 8:30-11 p.m. ET) topped the combined ABC-CBS-Fox competition in adults 18-49 (5.0 from 8:30-11 vs. a combined 4.7 for ABC and CBS from 8-11 p.m. and Fox from 8-10).

Wednesday: Feb. 19 Winter Olympics coverage (5.0/15 in 18-49, 20.2 million viewers overall from 8-11 p.m. ET), featuring American Ted Ligety winning a gold medal in giant slalom and the ladies' figure skating short program, ranked as the most-watched second Wednesday of a Winter Olympics since the Salt Lake City Games in 2002. Wednesday's viewership was up 26% versus the last non-North American Winter Games in Torino in 2006 (16.0 million viewers) and was also up 2% versus the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (19.8 million viewers.

Thursday: The Feb. 20 primetime Olympics telecast on NBC (5.0/15 in 18-49, 20.3 million viewers overall from 8-11:19 p.m. ET) topped the combined ABC-CBS-Fox competition in adults 18-49 by 20% (4.9 from 8-11 p.m. vs. a combined 4.1).

Friday: Friday coverage from Sochi (3.6/12 in 18-49, 14.9 million viewers overall from 8:30-11 p.m. ET) beat the combined ABC-CBS-Fox competition in 18-49 (3.6 vs. a combined 2.8) and topped the night's #2 telecast on the Big 4 networks by 112% (3.6 vs. a 1.7 for ABC's "Shark Tank").

Saturday: NBC's primetime Olympics telecast (2.8/10 in 18-49, 13.3 million viewers overall from 8:30-11:05 p.m. ET) topped the combined ABC-CBS-Fox competition in adults 18-49 (2.8 vs. a combined 1.5).

NBC's Saturday 11:05-11:30 p.m. ET preview of "About a Boy" generated solid sampling for the new series, averaging a 2.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 8.257 million viewers overall, according to Nielsen "fast official" ratings. Versus Olympics results in the 10:30-11 half-hour, "About a Boy" retained 76% of that lead-in rating in adults 18-49 (2.2 vs. 2.9).

Sunday: NBC concluded its coverage of the Sochi Olympics with the Closing Ceremony and the special "Nancy & Tonya" documentary ranking #1 and #2 among the Big 4 networks in average viewership.

The Closing Ceremony (3.2/8 in 18-49, 15.1 million viewers overall from 8:33-10:36 p.m. ET) was the #1 telecast among the broadcast networks in primetime Sunday night. The Sochi Closing Ceremony also topped by 2% the viewership for the 2006 Torino Games (14.8 million). The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, which followed that afternoon's dramatic overtime Team USA-Canada men's gold medal hockey game, averaged 21.4 million viewers.

The "Nancy & Tonya" documentary (2.6/8 in 18-49, 12.7 million viewers overall from 7-8:33 p.m. ET) ranked second among broadcast programs in primetime in total viewers and adults 18-49.

NBC's Sunday 10:36-11 p.m. ET preview of "Growing Up Fisher" delivered solid sampling, averaging a 2.0/6 in adults 18-49 and 8.862 million viewers overall. Versus Olympics results in the 10-10:30 half-hour, "Growing Up Fisher" retained 69% of that lead-in rating in adults 18-49 (2.0 vs. 2.9).