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[04/13/14 - 08:57 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup Puts FOX in Front
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 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (4/12/14):

Primetime coverage of "NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing From Darlington " (5.921 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) put FOX (5.921 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) in front on Saturday.

NBC (4.317 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) then claimed the silver with its usual combination of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.837 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) and a "Saturday Night Live" (3.278 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) repeat.

Next up was CBS (2.931 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with second runs of "Two and a Half Men" (2.485 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "Friends with Better Lives" (1.603 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #10) and "48 Hours" (2.258 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7) plus a new "48 Hours" (4.493 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3).

And finally, ABC (2.707 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening with its mix of "Castle" (2.862 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7), "20/20 Saturday" (2.448 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T7) and "Nightline Prime" (2.811 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

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

· "Saturday Night Live," with host Seth Rogen and musical guest Ed Sheeran, averaged a 3.9/10 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 2.1/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, making it the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters ahead of all primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in both categories.


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/13/13):

FOX (5.908 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the top draw on Saturday with its coverage of "NASCAR: Sprint Cup Racing from Texas" (5.908 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1).

A silver medal went to CBS (5.389 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) with repeats of "NCIS" (4.858 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5), "48 Hours" (4.983 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) and a new "48 Hours" (6.327 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2).

Next up was NBC (2.329 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with a new "Smash" (1.797 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9) followed by encores of "The Voice" (2.255 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) and "Saturday Night Live" (2.934 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3).

And finally on ABC (2.387 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4), the premiere of "Bet on Your Baby" (2.362 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6), a second "Bet on Your Baby" (2.269 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) and a repeat of "Body of Proof" (2.531 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9) closed out the night.

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

* "Saturday Night Live," with host Vince Vaughn and musical guest Miguel, averaged a 4.6/12 in metered-market households, equaling its overnight rating for the same night last year.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.8 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49. "SNL" delivered the top rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters, out-rating all primetime programming on those networks. The 2.8 matches "SNL's" second-highest rating in five months (since November 3), trailing over that span only the March 9 telecast, hosted by Justin Timberlake (3.7/18). Versus the same night last year, "SNL" is up 4 percent in the Local People Meters (2.8 vs. 2.7).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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