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[10/21/18 - 09:07 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC, College Football Once Again Top Charts
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 seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/20/18):

ABC (6.126 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) cruised to victory on Saturday with its weekly presentation of "Saturday Night College Football" (6.126 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

NBC (3.149 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the number two draw with a two-hour "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.370 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.707 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2).

Next up was FOX (1.801 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and its "CFB on FOX" (1.801 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) coverage.

And finally, encores of "Michael Jackson's Halloween" (2.034 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) and "48 Hours" (1.984 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #7) led into a new "48 Hours" (3.764 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) on CBS (2.594 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

· An Oct. 20 encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Adam Driver and musical guest Kanye West, has averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 0.8/5 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· Last night's 0.8 equals the high for a "Saturday Night Live" encore in 18-49 in the local people meters since June 2 (1.0 with host Donald Glover and musical guest Glover as Childish Gambino).

· The Oct. 20 "Saturday Night Live" is the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime shows on those nets except ABC's Ohio State-Purdue college football coverage (1.3).


Here are the highlights of the six ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/21/17):

ABC (6.726 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) held off the competition with its weekly "Saturday Night College Football" (6.726 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

NBC (2.475 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then claimed the silver with its special "College Football: USC at Notre Dame" (2.475 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

Next up was CBS (3.489 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with repeats of "NCIS" (2.998 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) and "48 Hours" (3.439 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) plus a new "48 Hours" (4.030 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

And finally, FOX (1.411 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) closed out the night with "CFB on FOX" (1.411 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

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

· An Oct. 21 encore of "Saturday Night Live," with host Ryan Gosling and musical guest Jay-Z, has averaged a 2.7 rating, 7 share in households in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 1.0/6 in 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· "SNL" scored its highest household rating in the metered markets since June 10 (2.9 with host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Harry Styles) and equaled the show's highest 18-49 rating in the local people meters since April 29 (1.1 with host Aziz Ansari and musical guest Big Sean).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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