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[01/16/21 - 08:52 AM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC, FOX Share Demo Crown; CBS Leads Total Viewers
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 (1/15/21):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live sports.]

ABC (4.100 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and FOX (2.153 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared the demo crown on Friday as the latter offered up a fresh installment of "WWE SmackDown" (2.153 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

The Alphabet then served up its duo of "Shark Tank" (4.212 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1) and "20/20" (4.044 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

Next up was CBS (4.855 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with new episodes of "MacGyver" (4.844 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4) and "Magnum P.I." (5.291 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4) plus a repeat "Blue Bloods" (4.429 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.066 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) offered up its coverage of the "U.S. Figure Skating Championship" (2.066 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #7).

And finally, The CW (0.785 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) rounded out the night with its mix of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.886 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8), a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.742 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8) and "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.757 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T8).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
+100.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
+20.00% - WWE SmackDown
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - MacGyver
-12.50% - Shark Tank
-16.67% - Magnum P.I.

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. Dynasty)
+55.56% - Shark Tank (vs. American Housewife/Fresh Off the Boat)
+20.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Charmed)
-16.67% - MacGyver (vs. Hawaii Five-0 (Repeat))
-16.67% - Magnum P.I. (vs. Magnum P.I. (Repeat))
-25.00% - WWE SmackDown


Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/17/20):

FOX (2.580 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) remained the demo champ on Friday with its telecast of "WWE SmackDown" (2.580 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1).

CBS (5.420 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) was the most-watched network despite its all-repeat lineup of "Hawaii Five-0" (5.487 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2), "Magnum P.I." (5.177 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (5.597 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4).

Next up was NBC (3.776 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with week two of "Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector" (3.783 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and "Dateline NBC" (3.772 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.106 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) served up the return of "American Housewife" (3.430 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4) and "Fresh Off the Boat" (2.408 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) plus a new "20/20" (3.200 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4).

And finally, The CW (0.512 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed the evening with the winter premieres of "Charmed" (0.676 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #10) and "Dynasty" (0.349 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - WWE SmackDown
0.00% - Fresh Off the Boat (vs. 12/13/19)
0.00% - Charmed (vs. 12/6/19)
0.00% - Dynasty (vs. 12/6/19)
-16.67% - American Housewife (vs. 12/13/19)
-16.67% - 20/20
-28.57% - Dateline NBC
-33.33% - Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - WWE SmackDown (vs. Various)
0.00% - Charmed (vs. Dynasty)
-16.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. The Blacklist/Dateline NBC)
-28.57% - American Housewife (vs. Fresh Off the Boat)
-28.57% - 20/20
-33.33% - Fresh Off the Boat (vs. Speechless)
-33.33% - Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (vs. Blindspot)
-50.00% - Dynasty (vs. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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