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[01/17/16 - 08:18 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NFL Playoffs Give NBC Big Boost
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 (1/16/16):

NBC (29.237 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1) rocketed to the top spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "NFC Divisional Game: Green Bay at Arizona" (29.237 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1).

CBS (5.233 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then was a distant silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun/NCIS: New Orleans" (7.209 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), "Limitless" (4.466 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) and "48 Hours" (4.025 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4).

Next up was ABC (1.321 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) and the feature "The Social Network" (1.382 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) plus a repeat "Fresh Off the Boat" (1.020 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8).

And finally, encores of "Hell's Kitchen" (1.204 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "Second Chance" (1.110 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) on FOX (1.157 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T3) closed out the night.

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has delivered its highest adult 18-49 rating in the local people meters in two years.

· The Jan. 16 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Adam Driver and musical guest Chris Stapleton, averaged a 3.0 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters from 12:15-1:45 a.m. ET, according to Nielsen Media Research (an adjusted average in household rating in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen is currently unavailable due to technical issues). Note that last night's "SNL" was delayed about 45 minutes by the overrun of NBC's primetime NFL Playoff telecast.

· "Saturday Night Live" delivered the show's highest results in the Local People Meters since Jan. 4, 2014 (3.0/12 for "SNL Best of This Season," also following an NFL overrun) and equals the show's high since the Dec. 21, 2013 edition (3.9/18 with host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Justin Timberlake).

· In household rating, "Saturday Night Live" is estimated to be generating about a mid-5 rating, though the exact figure is currently unavailable due to technical issues. A mid-5 would be the #2 household rating of the season, behind only the Nov. 7 telecast with host Donald Trump and musical guest Sia (6.6/16). Prior to last night, "SNL's" #2 household result this season has been the 5.1/13 for the Dec. 19 edition hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler with musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 in the metered markets, far ahead of all primetime entertainment programming on those networks.

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals growing by +52% going from L+SD to L+7 in adults 18-49 (1.84 to 2.79) and +2.252 million persons in total viewers (6.236 million to 8.488 million).


Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/17/15):

NBC (4.010 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) was the most-watched network on Saturday with its duo of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.296 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) and a repeat of "Saturday Night Live" (3.439 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

ABC (3.028 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) then shared the demo crown with its telecast of "Just Go With It" (3.256 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) and a repeat of "The Goldbergs" (1.883 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

Next up was CBS (3.989 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and its mix of "48 Hours" (3.065 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.329 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and a new "48 Hours" (5.573 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

And finally, encores of "Empire" (1.510 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and another "Empire" (1.708 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) on FOX (1.609 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening.

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

·"Saturday Night Live," with host Kevin Hart and musical guest Sia, averaged a 4.1 rating, 10 share from 11:30-1 a.m. ET in household results in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.0/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters. It's the highest-rated "SNL" in metered-market households since Dec. 6 (with host James Franco and musical guest Nicki Minaj, 4.4). In 18-49 in the Local People Meters, the 2.0 rating matches the prior two originals (2.0 each on Dec. 20 and Dec. 13) and hasn't been bested since the Dec. 6 telecast (2.2).

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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