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[03/21/14 - 08:36 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Dramas Snap CBS Win Streak in Demos
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 (3/20/14):

ABC (6.798 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) moved into the top demo spot on Thursday with its mix of "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (3.498 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13), "Grey's Anatomy" (7.972 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) and "Scandal" (8.923 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1).

FOX (6.830 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.296 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) and "American Idol" (8.365 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3).Next up was CBS (3.752 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) with its coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Second Round - Wofford #15 vs. Michigan #2" (4.096 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (3.004 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Second Round - Arizona St. #10 vs. Texas #7" (3.608 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.467 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) offered up originals from "Community" (3.456 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) and "Parks & Recreation" (3.094 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5) followed by a repeat "Hollywood Game Night" (2.949 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) and a new "Parenthood" (4.176 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

And finally, The CW (1.935 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening with new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.235 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10) and "Reign" (1.635 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.9 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Reign
10.00% - Community
9.09% - Parks & Recreation
7.41% - Scandal
4.35% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Parenthood
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 3/4/14)
0.00% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
-10.53% - Hell's Kitchen
-13.64% - American Idol

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 1600 Penn)
+9.09% - Parenthood (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+7.41% - Scandal
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
0.00% - Community
0.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Second Round - Arizona St. #10 vs. Texas #7
-5.00% - American Idol (vs. Glee)
-16.67% - The Vampire Diaries
-17.24% - Grey's Anatomy
-36.84% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Second Round - Wofford #15 vs. Michigan #2
-39.29% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-40.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
-52.94% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (vs. Wife Swap)

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

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.4/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.2/4 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.7/7.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "Tonight," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.7/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/21/13):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

FOX (8.772 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (11.652 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) and "Glee" (5.893 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4).

ABC (7.560 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T1) however split the adults 18-49 crown with its mix of "Wife Swap" (5.004 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.108 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) and "Scandal" (8.570 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3).

Next up was CBS (4.702 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) and its primetime coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: South Dakota State vs. Michigan" (5.757 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.345 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Akron vs. Virginia Commonwealth" (3.299 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.100 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up its combination of "Community" (3.025 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "1600 Penn" (2.541 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), a repeat of "The Office" (2.314 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), a second "1600 Penn" (2.289 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.217 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.554 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.773 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (2.163 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - Beauty and the Beast
+11.54% - Grey's Anatomy
+10.00% - Community
+9.09% - The Vampire Diaries
+6.25% - Wife Swap (vs. 3/12/13)
0.00% - Scandal (vs. 2/21/13)
0.00% - Glee
-6.67% - American Idol
-20.00% - 1600 Penn

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+200.00% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice (Repeat))
+141.67% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
+6.25% - Wife Swap (vs. Missing)
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-7.69% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
-20.83% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: South Dakota State vs. Michigan
-30.00% - American Idol
-35.29% - Community
-37.50% - Glee (vs. Touch)
-40.00% - 1600 Penn - 8:30 (vs. 30 Rock)
-42.86% - 1600 Penn - 9:30 (vs. Up All Night)
-50.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Akron vs. Virginia Commonwealth

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

* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.2/4 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.7/7.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/4; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.7/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.7/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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