or


[09/15/14 - 08:47 AM]
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: "Sunday Night Football" Keeps NBC on Top
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 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/14/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to NFL coverage, Fast Nationals for FOX from 7-8p and CBS/NBC for the night are approximate.]

NBC (16.495 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.3, #1) was of course the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (7.497 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6), "Football Night in America #2" (10.321 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4), "Football Night in America #3" (16.989 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.3, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (19.431 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.6, #1).

CBS (11.475 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then claimed the silver with a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (21.445 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #2) followed by "60 Minutes" (10.830 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5), "Big Brother 16" (7.312 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) and "Unforgettable" (6.314 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13).

Next up was FOX (2.685 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and repeats of "Bob's Burgers" (3.025 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13), another "Bob's Burgers" (2.379 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15), "The Simpsons" (2.653 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12), another "The Simpsons" (2.795 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9), the return of "American Dad" (2.621 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and another "American Dad" (2.634 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.558 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) led into "Countdown to Miss America" (3.337 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #17) and "The 2015 Miss America Competition" (6.744 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #8) on ABC (5.346 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4).


Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/15/13):

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

NBC (15.949 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.3, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (8.880 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5), "Football Night in America #2" (11.450 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.1, #4), "Football Night in America #3" (16.038 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.2, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (18.244 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.4, #1).

CBS (10.277 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then got a boost at second place with a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (20.629 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #2) followed by "60 Minutes" (10.939 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "Big Brother 15" (5.850 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11) and a repeat of "The Good Wife" (3.689 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #17).

Next up was FOX (4.501 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) and its repeat lineup (which included NFL overrun in some markets) of "American Dad" (5.283 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), "The Simpsons" (5.112 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), another "The Simpsons" (5.929 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7), "Bob's Burgers" (4.061 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12), "Family Guy" (3.248 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.4, #14) and another "Family Guy" (3.373 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13).

And finally, ABC (6.580 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) served up a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.300 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T15) alongside its specials "20/20: Pageant Confidential: The Road to Miss America" (4.156 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T15) and "Miss America 2014" (8.431 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+42.86% - Football Night in America #1
+32.26% - Football Night in America #2
-5.26% - Big Brother 15
-11.43% - Football Night in America #3
-18.68% - Sunday Night Football

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+192.31% - Miss America 2014 (vs. Revenge (Repeat)/Revenge (Repeat))
+50.00% - 20/20: Pageant Confidential: The Road to Miss America (vs. Revenge (Repeat))
0.00% - Football Night in America #1
-1.33% - Sunday Night Football
-4.62% - Football Night in America #3
-14.58% - Football Night in America #2
-21.74% - Big Brother 15

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [september 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[05/21/26 - 02:32 PM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Since 2018
The New York Knicks overtime victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 19 generated an average audience of 7.1 million viewers and peaked with 8.87 million viewers at 10:45 p.m. ET.

[05/21/26 - 02:00 PM]
"Survivor" Historic 50th Season Concludes with Most-Watched Finale Since 2020
The season finale drew an average of 5.78 million viewers, based on Nielsen Preliminary panel only data.

[05/21/26 - 07:01 AM]
NBC Sports' 2026 SuperMotocross Coverage Delivers Viewership Gains and Milestones
The seven races featured on NBC and Peacock averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 468,000 viewers on NBC and Peacock, up 8% vs. 2025.

[05/20/26 - 03:05 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched Western Conference Finals Game 1 Ever for Monday's Spurs-Thunder Double Overtime Thriller
Coverage peaked with 12.0 million viewers from 11:30-11:43 p.m. ET for the second overtime and game's conclusion.

[05/20/26 - 03:04 PM]
ESPN Aired Its Most Viewed 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round of the Current Rights Deal
Collectively all 11 Second Round games, with nine airing on ESPN and two on ABC, delivered 2.2 million viewers, up 76% year-over-year.

[05/20/26 - 07:36 AM]
After Record-Setting 2025 Season, "Sunday Night Football" Finishes Fall-Spring TV Season as Primetime's No. 1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
The series averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025, marking the show's best-ever viewership - up nearly 1 million viewers from the prior record for the series set a decade ago (22.6 million in 2015 season) and an increase of 9% over the '24 season (21.6 million).

[05/19/26 - 02:52 PM]
Subway Series Delivers Second Most-Watched FOX Saturday Baseball Telecast of the Season
2,500,000 viewers tuned-in to the two-game slate highlighted by the Mets' 6-3 victory over the Yankees in most of the country.

[05/19/26 - 02:01 PM]
Netflix Viewership Peaks with Nearly 17 Million Global Viewers for MVP MMA's Rousey vs. Carano, Averaging 12.4 Million Viewers Across the Triple Main Event
In the US, the triple-main card averaged 9.3 million viewers, peaking at 11.6 million viewers during Rousey vs. Carano.

[05/19/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 11 - "The Roast of Kevin Hart" Heats Up to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
True crime audiences also streamed the second season of "Worst Ex Ever," which rose to the No. 2 spot on the English TV list with 8.1 million views.

[05/19/26 - 07:07 AM]
TNT Sports Posts Its Most-Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Ever
Thursday's Game 5 of the Montreal/Buffalo series averaged 1.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched, Second Round, Game 5 on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.

[05/18/26 - 04:03 PM]
"The Rookie" Season 8 Finale Surges to Over 9 Million Total Viewers
Setting new records with its exceptional momentum this season, "The Rookie" finale earned an all-time streaming high for the series based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

[05/15/26 - 02:03 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers on Sunday Morning, in Late-Night and on Friday Night
"20/20" saw week-to-week increases in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, hitting 4-week highs in both measures.

[05/14/26 - 10:07 AM]
"Rooster" Capped Off a Standout First Season, Becoming HBO's Most-Watched Comedy Debut in Over 15 Years
The series is averaging 6.5 million U.S. viewers per episode, with the finale reaching 2.2 million viewers in its first three days.

[05/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Home Run! ESPN Scores Most-Consumed College Softball Regular Season on Record
The 2026 campaign featured four of ESPN's eight most-watched regular season games of all-time and delivered a record-high 10 games with more than 500,000 viewers.

[05/13/26 - 10:30 AM]
Viewership for 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Presentation on ABC Up 23 Percent Year Over Year
ESPN's presentation of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, May 10, on ABC averaged 2.3 million viewers.