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[01/04/15 - 08:49 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Dominates with AFC Wild Card Game
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 eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (1/3/15):

NBC (24.028 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.5, #1) was of course the network to beat on Saturday with its coverage of the "AFC Wild Card Game: Baltimore at Pittsburgh" (24.028 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.5, #1).

CBS (4.372 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2) then was king of the leftovers with repeats of "NCIS: New Orleans" (4.048 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6) an d"Criminal Minds" (4.068 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) plus a new "48 Hours" (5.000 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2).

Next up was ABC (2.495 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with encores of "Hairspray" (2.352 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) and "20/20" (2.783 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4).

And finally, repeats of "Bones" (1.785 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6) and "Sleepy Hollow" (0.952 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #8) closed out the evening for FOX (1.368 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

·An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Kendrick Lamar, averaged a 3.6 rating, 10 share from 12:15-1:45 a.m. ET in household results in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7/8 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters.

·"Saturday Night Live" delivered the show's highest results for an encore telecast in metered-market households and the Local People Meters since the Jan. 11, 2014 rebroadcast (with host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Justin Timberlake, 3.8/9 in metered-market households and 2.0/8 in 18-49 in the LPMs).

·Note that last night's telecast was delayed by NBC's primetime NFL overrun. "SNL's" actual start time was 12:09 a.m. ET.

·The "Saturday Night Live" encore was the #1 non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 in metered-market households and 18-49 in the Local People Meters, ahead of all primetime entertainment programming on those networks.

Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/4/14):

NBC (30.093 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.8, #1) overshadowed the competition on Saturday with its primetime coverage of the "NFC Wild Card Game: New Orleans at Philadelphia" (30.093 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.8, #1).

ABC (2.541 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2) then was king of the leftovers with encores of "Over the Hedge" (2.666 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T2) and "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" (2.291 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4).

Next up was CBS (3.031 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with repeats of "How I Met Your Mother" (1.571 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T8), "The Crazy Ones" (1.655 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (2.734 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5) followed by a new "48 Hours" (4.748 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T2).

And finally, FOX (1.664 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) closed out the night with second runs of "Almost Human" (1.700 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T8) and "Bones" (1.629 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T5).

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

·"SNL Best of This Season" averaged a 5.6/14 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 3.0/12 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters from midnight to 1:30 a.m. ET, making it the #1 non-sports telecast of the night on ABC, CBS and Fox in 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters, topping all primetime entertainment programming on those networks. "SNL Best of This Season" was delayed by the overrun of NBC's primetime NFL Wild Card playoff coverage.

·These are the second-highest "SNL" results of the season to date, behind only the Dec. 21 edition hosted by Jimmy Fallon with musical guest Justin Timberlake (6.4/16 in metered-market households, 3.9/18 in the Local People Meters).

·Versus an encore telecast on the same night last year, "SNL Best of This Season" is up 24% in metered-market households (5.6/14 vs. 4.5/11) and up 25% in 18-49 in the Local People Meters (3.0/.12 vs. 2.4/11).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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