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[02/05/15 - 08:34 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: "Empire" Hits Another Series High for FOX
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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (2/4/15):

FOX (11.207 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) continued its Wednesday reign thanks to a new "American Idol" (10.948 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and another series high from "Empire" (11.467 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1).

ABC (7.284 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "The Middle" (8.242 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6), the premiere of "Fresh Off the Boat" (7.925 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4), a new "Modern Family" (9.857 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2), a second "Fresh Off the Boat" (7.557 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and the return of "Nashville" (5.061 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

Next up was CBS (8.868 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with fresh installments from "The Mentalist" (8.934 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12), "Criminal Minds" (10.327 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7) and "Stalker" (7.343 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.671 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) served up originals from "The Mysteries of Laura" (6.298 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.206 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and "Chicago PD" (7.508 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8).

And finally, new episodes of "Arrow" (2.887 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12) and "The 100" (1.593 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (2.240 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.7 rating while the latter posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.33% - Modern Family(vs. 1/14/15)
+9.09% - Arrow
+8.33% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 1/21/15)
+6.98% - Empire
+6.67% - Chicago PD (vs. 1/21/15)
+3.45% - American Idol
0.00% - The Middle (vs. 1/14/15)
0.00% - The 100
-4.76% - Criminal Minds
-7.69% - The Mentalist
-9.09% - The Mysteries of Laura (vs. 1/14/15)
-13.33% - Nashville (vs. 12/10/14)
-18.75% - Stalker

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Fresh Off the Boat - 9:30 (vs. Super Fun Night)
+47.06% - Fresh Off the Boat - 8:30 (vs. Suburgatory)
+20.00% - Arrow
+20.00% - The 100 (vs. The Tomorrow People)
+17.95% - Empire (vs. American Idol)
0.00% - The Middle
0.00% - Nashville
-2.86% - Modern Family
-5.88% - Chicago PD
-9.09% - The Mysteries of Laura (vs. How to Raise an Olympian)
-20.00% - The Mentalist (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
-23.08% - American Idol
-27.78% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-28.57% - Criminal Minds
-35.00% - Stalker (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)

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," 3.3/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.5/7; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 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" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/5/14):

FOX (13.288 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) was the top draw on Wednesday for the fourth week in a row behind a new "American Idol" (13.288 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1).

CBS (10.701 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then took home the silver with a rebroadcast of "Criminal Minds" (8.270 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10) followed by new episodes of "Criminal Minds" (12.810 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.023 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.684 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with fresh installments of "The Middle" (8.669 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4), "Suburgatory" (6.222 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7), "Modern Family" (10.010 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2), "Super Fun Night" (4.978 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) and "Nashville" (5.113 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.639 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) served up the special "How to Raise an Olympian" (4.433 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) alongside originals from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.355 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and "Chicago PD" (6.129 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7).

And finally, new episodes of "Arrow" (2.753 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and "The Tomorrow People" (1.373 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (2.063 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.7 rating while "Tomorrow" posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Criminal Minds (vs. 1/22/14)
+25.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 1/22/14)
+23.08% - Super Fun Night
+13.33% - Suburgatory
+2.63% - American Idol
0.00% - Modern Family (vs. 1/22/14)
0.00% - The Middle (vs. 1/22/14)
0.00% - Chicago PD
0.00% - Arrow
-5.26% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-13.33% - Nashville
-16.67% - The Tomorrow People

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+3.70% - Criminal Minds
0.00% - Arrow
-4.35% - The Middle
-5.56% - Suburgatory (vs. The Neighbors)
-5.56% - Chicago PD (vs. Chicago Fire)
-7.89% - Modern Family
-8.33% - How to Raise an Olympian (vs. Whitney/Guys With Kids)
-15.22% - American Idol
-16.67% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-23.53% - Nashville
-23.81% - Super Fun Night (vs. Suburgatory)
-44.44% - The Tomorrow People (vs. Supernatural)

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

·Last night's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" delivered the show's highest overnight rating for any night of the week in nearly four years, since the first week of Jay's return in March 2010. For Jimmy Fallon, it was his top Wednesday in metered-market household ratings since May 2009.

·Leno scored a 4.3 rating, 11 share in metered-market households, "Tonight's" strongest local-market rating for any night of the week since Tuesday, March 2, 2010 (4.6/12). It was the highest Wednesday "Tonight" since June 3, 2009 (4.3/11), during Conan O'Brien's first week hosting the show.

·Fallon delivered a 2.1/7 in households, his highest rating for a Wednesday since May 27, 2009 (2.2/8), during the final week before Conan O'Brien took over "Tonight" hosting duties from Leno.

·Guests on "Tonight" Wednesday night included Sandra Bullock, Blake Shelton and musical guest Vintage Trouble.

·The Feb. 5 edition of "Late Night" presented "The Best of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Guest Comedy."

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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