or


[08/12/18 - 08:40 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Tops Viewers, Shares Demo Crown with ABC, CBS
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 (8/11/18):

NBC (2.890 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1) was the top draw on a low key Saturday with its telecasts of "Little Big Shots" (2.779 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (2.946 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #1).

CBS (2.199 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1) then was the number two network with a new "Pink Collar Crimes" (2.248 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2), another "Pink Collar Crimes" (1.979 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and a repeat "48 Hours" (2.371 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2).

Next up was ABC (2.187 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T1) with encores of "Castaways" (2.084 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) and "20/20 Saturday" (2.240 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2).

And finally, FOX (0.786 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) rounded out the evening with its broadcast of the "Jr. NBA World Championship" (0.786 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8).

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

· The Aug. 11 encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Gal Gadot and featuring musical guest Sam Smith, has averaged a 2.3 rating, 7 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.7/5 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Last night's "SNL" matched the show's high in 18-49 in the local people meters since June 23 (0.8 with host Jessica Chastain and musical guest Troye Sivan).

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" is the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime shows on those nets in both categories.


Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/12/17):

CBS (2.800 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T1) was the most-watched network on Saturday with a new "Doubt" (2.530 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) followed by the finale to "Doubt" (2.650 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and a repeat "48 Hours" (3.220 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

NBC (2.786 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T1) then shared the demo crown with a repeat "America's Got Talent" (2.547 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and a new "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.263 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1).

Next up was ABC (2.305 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (2.650 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2), "$100,000 Pyramid" (2.400 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and "20/20: In an Instant" (1.865 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7).

And finally, FOX (1.147 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) likewise opted for repeats of "Lucifer" (1.126 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9) and "Love Connection" (1.169 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9).

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

· An Aug. 12 encore of "Saturday Night Live," with host Louis C.K. and musical guest The Chainsmokers, has averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in households in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 0.8/5 in 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· It's the top-rated "SNL" rebroadcast in metered-market households since June 17 (2.6 with host Scarlett Johansson and musical guest Lorde) and best in 18-49 in the local people meters since July 8 (0.8 with host John Cena and musical guest Maren Morris).

· The "Saturday Night Live" encore was the #1 show of the night on the broadcast networks in metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, outrating every Saturday primetime telecast on those nets in both measures.

· Versus the show's year-ago August encore, last night's "Saturday Night Live" is up +14% in metered-market households (2.5 vs. a 2.2 rating).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [august 2018]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[09/12/25 - 02:43 PM]
"The Groomsmen: First Look" Launches Hallmark Channel's "Fall Into Love" Seasonal Stunt with Chart-Topping Ratings
The film was the #1 most-watched entertainment cable program on Saturday among Households, Women 18+, Persons 18+, and Total Viewers.

[09/12/25 - 05:31 AM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Ever
ESPN networks aired eight of the top 10 most-watched WNBA games during the 2025 season, highlighted by its most-watched WNBA game ever - 2.7 million viewers for Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever on May 17 (ABC).

[09/10/25 - 02:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers Most Viewed Tennis Telecast of the Year and Most Viewed US Open Since 2022
The Men's Championship averaged 3 million viewers on ABC, up 82% vs. 2024 while the Women's Championship averaged 2.4 million on ESPN, up 50% vs. 2024.

[09/09/25 - 03:43 PM]
On Pace for Record Year, ESPN Formula 1 Viewership Earns 10th Event High of '25 Season
F1 races are averaging 1.4M viewers this season across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, ahead of the all-time series record average of 1.21M that was set in 2022.

[09/09/25 - 03:29 PM]
ABC Scores Three of the Top Four Best Audiences of College Football's Week 2; "College GameDay" Delivers Second Most-Watched Regular Season Show on Record
Michigan/Oklahoma (9.7 million viewers) was ABC's most-viewed Week 2 game since 2006.

[09/09/25 - 03:17 PM]
FOX's "Big Noon Saturday" & "Big Noon Kickoff" Up Big Through Week 2
Iowa-Iowa State scored 4,278,000 viewers on FOX, most-watched game in the noon window.

[09/09/25 - 02:26 PM]
NBC Sports Posts Largest Two-Game NFL Kickoff Weekend Audience in a Decade & Second Best All-Time, Averaging 26.5 Million Viewers Across NBC & Peacock
NBC's 2025 NFL Kickoff Weekend average viewership trailed only 2015, as Steelers-Patriots in NFL Kickoff '15 and Cowboys-Giants in the Sunday night opener averaged 27.2 million viewers.

[09/09/25 - 02:01 PM]
FOX NFL Delivers Most-Watched Week 1 NFL Singleheader on Any Network Since 2015
17.9 million viewers tuned in to watch Sunday's FOX NFL singleheader - the most-watched Week 1 NFL singleheader on any network since 2015.

[09/09/25 - 01:43 PM]
"20/20" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board for Friday, Sept. 5
Airing against NFL competition on YouTube and U.S. Open Tennis on ESPN, "20/20" turned in its strongest Adults 25-54 performance since June and best Total Viewer and Adults 18-49 numbers since July.

[09/09/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of September 1: "Wednesday" Season 2 Does the Dead Dance to No. 1 in Top 10
"My Life with the Walter Boys" collectively brought in another 10.9 million views, putting the series at No. 2 on the English TV list.

[09/09/25 - 07:00 AM]
TLC's "90 Day: Hunt for Love" Draws Over 11.6M Viewers Across Platforms
The series emerged as one of the network's most-watched new titles of the year and currently ranks as the #2 freshman series on cable in 2025 to date among P/W25-54.

[09/08/25 - 02:45 PM]
The "2025 MTV Video Music Awards" Delivers Its Largest Television Audience Since 2019, Up +42% from Last Year
The telecast was seen by more than 5.5 million viewers on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.

[09/08/25 - 09:40 AM]
Cowboys-Eagles on NBC & Peacock Is 2nd Most-Watched NFL Kickoff Game
The exciting back-and-forth put the Eagles ahead 21-20 at halftime and averaged 34.3 million viewers on NBC and Peacock from 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET (late second quarter) - marking the largest peak audience ever for an NFL Kickoff Game.

[09/05/25 - 09:01 AM]
ESPN Networks Command Historic Viewership with Second Most-Watched Labor Day Weekend in at Least 30 Years
From Saturday, August 30 through Monday, September 1, fans consumed 16.8 billion minutes across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, up 25 percent year-over-year.

[09/03/25 - 04:14 PM]
"Big Noon Kickoff" Scores Monster Week 1 Audience on FOX
Starting at 11:00 AM ET, "Big Noon Kickoff" scored 3,756,000 viewers on FOX.