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[01/28/18 - 08:14 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC, NBA Lead 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 (1/27/18):

ABC (3.502 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) was the top demo draw last night thanks to "NBA Countdown" (2.527 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC" (3.697 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1).

Second place then went to NBC (3.027 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) with its mix of "Will & Grace" (1.944 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10), "Superstore" (2.150 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.960 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (3.075 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

Next up was FOX (1.593 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and its coverage of "UFC on FOX" (1.593 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

And finally, repeats of "NCIS" (4.022 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and "SEAL Team" (3.225 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) plus a new "48 Hours" (4.064 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) on CBS (3.770 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

· The Jan. 27 telecast of "Saturday Night Live" has delivered season-high ratings in metered-market households, as well as adult 18-49 rating in the local people meters.

· With an edition hosted by Will Ferrell and featuring musical guest Chris Stapleton, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 4.9 rating, 11 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.3/11 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· These are the highest "Saturday Night Live" overnights since the 2016-17 season finale on May 20, 2017, hosted by Dwayne Johnson and featuring musical guest Katy Perry, which averaged a 5.3/15 in metered-market households and a 2.6/13 in 18-49 in the local people meters.

· The Jan. 27 "Saturday Night Live" is the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, ahead of all primetime programming on the broadcast networks, including ABC's Celtics-Warriors NBA coverage.

· The Jan. 27 "SNL" aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and was replayed at 11:30 in western markets.


Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/28/17):

NBC (4.313 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) was the most-watched network with its duo of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.852 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "SNL Vintage" (3.236 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

ABC (2.519 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) then shared in the demo honors with "NBA Countdown" (2.192 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #6) and "NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC" (2.584 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

Next up was FOX (2.016 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its quarterly "UFC on FOX" (2.016 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) special.

And finally, CBS (4.004 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening with its mix of "Ransom" (3.310 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7), a repeat "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.657 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and "48 Hours" (5.044 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

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

· A Jan. 28 encore of "Saturday Night Live," with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest The xx, averaged a 3.5/9 in households in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 1.4/7 in 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Excluding the Jan. 7 rebroadcast, which benefited from an NFL Playoff overrun, it's the highest-rated "Saturday Night Live" encore in nearly two years in metered-market households (since Feb. 14, 2015, with an encore of the "SNL" series premiere with host George Carlin and musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston, 3.8).

· In 18-49 in the local people meters, last night's 1.4 equals "Saturday Night Live's" best for a rebroadcast, excluding the NFL-boosted Jan. 7 encore and a Dec. 31 rebroadcast that benefited from the New Year's Eve holiday, since the Feb. 14, 2015 encore of the "SNL" series premiere.

· Versus a rebroadcast on the same night last year, the Jan. 28 "SNL" is up +9% in 18-49 (3.5 vs. 3.2) and up +17% in 18-49 in the local people meters (1.4 vs. 1.2).

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" encore was the #1 telecast of the night on the broadcast networks in 18-49 in the local people meters, outrating every Saturday primetime telecast on those nets in that category, and was tied for #1 for the night in metered-market households.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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