JIMMY FALLON Rules Late-Night First Quarter Over the Competition

"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" has dominated late-night ratings for the first quarter of 2015, with Fallon out-rating ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" in every key ratings category - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

Fallon averaged a 1.12 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.915 million viewers overall for the quarter. Excluding the year-ago quarter, which featured Fallon's Olympic-boost debut as host, this is "Tonight's" highest-rated first quarter since 2010 (1.28) and most-watched first quarter, excluding 2014, since 2009 (5.322 million).

For the first quarter at 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" topped CBS's "Late Late Show" in every key ratings category and beat ABC's "Nightline" in their head-to-head 12:30-1 a.m. half-hour in every key demographic - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

During the closing week of the first quarter, March 23-27, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" grew +5% week to week in 18-49 (0.44 vs. 0.42 for March 16-20), to outscore CBS's debut week of "Late Late Show with James Corden" (0.38). Note that Corden excluded Thursday and Friday results due to a basketball overrun and Friday's "Late Night" was an encore.

For the week, Meyers outrated Corden on every night in adults 18-49. In weeklong averages, Meyers beat Corden in adults, men and women 18-34; adults, men and women 18-49; and adults and women 25-54.

For the first quarter of 2015, Fallon's 1.12 rating in "most current" adult 18-49 averages gave him a +78% margin over the 0.63 for "Kimmel" and a +115% advantage over the 0.52 for Letterman.

For the first quarter at 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (0.46 in adults 18-49) outrated "Late Late Show" (0.31) by a +48% advantage, and in their head-to-head half-hour from 12:30-1 a.m., Meyers outscored "Nightline" by +24% (0.52 vs. 0.42 for that half-hour).

WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of March 23-27. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. First-quarter and season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day.")

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight" 0.91 rating, 4 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.56/3 *
ABC "Kimmel," 0.61/3 *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.43/3

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.44/3 *
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.38/3 *

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.26/2 *

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 3.344 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 2.681 million viewers *
ABC "Kimmel," 2.682 million viewers *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.640 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.422 million viewers *
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.502 million viewers *

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.799 million viewers *

* Friday's "Kimmel," "Late Night" and "Last Call" were encores. Thursday and Friday CBS programs were delayed by basketball overruns and are excluded from these averages.

FIRST QUARTER AVERAGES, "MOST CURRENT"

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 1.12 rating, 5 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.52/2
ABC "Kimmel," 0.63/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.42/3

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.46/3
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.31/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.26/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 3.915 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 2.783 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.744 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.710 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.513 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.302 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.808 million viewers

SEASON AVERAGES

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 1.16 rating, 5 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.52/2
ABC "Kimmel," 0.64/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.41/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.49/3
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.33/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.29/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 4.011 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 2.754 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.769 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.713 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.552 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.391 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.849 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF MARCH 23-27

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, "The Daily Show," 0.50
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-Midnight ET, "The Nightly Show," 0.30

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.29 **

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.85
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.62

Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.27 million viewers.

TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. "The Daily Show," 1.253 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-Midnight ET, "The Nightly Show," 0.728 million

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.705 million **

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.751 million viewers
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.267 million viewers

** Delayed on Thursday by a basketball overrun and excluded from these averages.

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