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[08/16/15 - 09:19 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Wins Low Key Demo Race
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 (8/15/15):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, all Fast Nationals are inflated.]

ABC (3.814 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) claimed the top demo spot on Saturday with its mix of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.251 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1), "Beyond the Tank" (3.328 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) and "Boston EMS" (3.864 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

The silver then went to CBS (3.896 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) and its repeat lineup of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.638 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T6), "Criminal Minds" (3.631 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T6) and "48 Hours" (4.420 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4).

Next up was NBC (2.429 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and its "P&G Championships: Women's Gymnastics" (2.918 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) coverage followed by a new "Hannibal" (1.452 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "Bullseye" (1.361 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and "Home Free" (1.423 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) on FOX (1.392 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the evening.

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

· An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Scarlett Johansson and musical guest Wiz Khalifa, averaged a 2.3 rating, 6 share in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 1.0/5 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, matching the show's highest 18-49 rating in the local people meters in eight weeks (since June 20, with host and musical guest Blake Shelton, 1.1/6).

· Over that span, "SNL" also earned a 1.0 rating in 18-49 on July 18 (with host Kevin Hart and musical guest Sia). In metered-market households, last night's 2.3 is the show's highest rating since that same July 18 telecast (2.4/7).

· Last night's "SNL" was the #1 program of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 in the Local People Meters, beating all the night's primetime programming on those networks.

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals this season growing by an average of +44% going from "live plus same day ratings" to "live plus seven day" in adults 18-49 (from a 1.84 rating to a 2.65).


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/16/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, all Fast Nationals are inflated.]

NBC (4.738 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1) was the network to beat on Saturday with its pairing of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (5.081 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.053 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4).

ABC (3.406 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1) then shared the demo crown with the feature "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (3.406 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T2).

Next up was CBS (4.309 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) with repeats of "48 Hours" (4.028 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (3.900 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #6) and another "48 Hours" (4.998 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T2).

And finally, FOX (1.061 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the evening with repeats of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.195 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #7), another "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.133 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #8) and "Glee" (0.957 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #9).

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

·An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Anna Kendrick and musical guest Pharrell, averaged a 2.5/7 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 1.1/6 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, to rank as the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·The 2.5 in metered-market households matches "Saturday Night Live's" top rating since May 31 (2.6, with host Charlize Theron and musical guest The Black Keys), tying over that span the July 12 telecast (2.5, with host Kerry Washington and musical guest Eminem). In the Local People Meters, last night's 1.1 is the highest in 18-49 since May 31 (1.2).

·Versus the same night last year, "SNL" is up +14% in metered-market households (to a 2.5 rating from a 2.2) and up +22% in 18-49 in the Local People Meters (1.1 vs. 0.9).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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