NBC Is #1 for Full 52-Week 2013-14 Primetime Television Season

NBC has clinched first place for the full 52-week primetime ratings season in the key demographic of adults 18-49, marking the network's first full-season win in the 10 years since the 2003-04 season.

In "most current" averages from Nielsen Media Research through Sept. 14, with one week left to count in the 52-week season, NBC is running +14% ahead of its year-ago rating in adults 18-49 (to a 2.4 from a 2.1) and is currently the only Big 4 network generating a year-to-year improvement in the key demo.

In total viewers, NBC is currently up +25%, which tops every increase by a Big 4 network in a full 52-week season for the last 25 years.

Even taking NBC's 18 nights of Winter Olympic coverage out of the network's averages, NBC still ranks #1 for the season in adults 18-49, ahead of Super Bowl-boosted FOX (with a 2.2 rating for NBC excluding Olympic nights vs. a 2.1 for #2 Fox).

"As the business continues to see significant original programming launched throughout the calendar year, the 52-week statistics become more and more meaningful," commented Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment. "And following a very strong September-to-May win, I'm pleased that NBC once again dominated the summer, leading us to win virtually all key demos in primetime and latenight for the full 2013-14 season. Plus, our record 25% year-to-year surge in total viewers to make us #2 in that measure is an indication of the overall momentum of the company. My hat is off to everyone at the network, Comcast, our affiliated stations, and the talent, producers, and crews on all of our shows who have worked so hard to make NBC relevant and vital once again."

NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 among the Big 4 networks during 30 weeks so far this season (L+SD), the most for any network over the past four seasons and NBC's highest total in 11 years. CBS is #2 this season with 13 weekly wins (including ties). Note that the last time NBC aired an Olympics (London during the 2011-12 season), NBC won 11 weeks, three of which were Olympic weeks.

NBC also leads the season in adults 25-54, adults 18-34, men 18-49, men 25-54 and all key adult-female demos.

In total viewers, NBC ranks #2 for the season (with or without Olympic nights being counted in its average) for only the second time in 10 years, and is up +25% this season versus last (8.3 million vs. 6.6 million). That 25% gain currently stands as the biggest year-to-year increase for a full 52-week season since FOX grew by +47% in 1988-89.

In 18-49 rating among Big 4 primetime programs, NBC's schedule includes:

The #1 series, "Sunday Night Football" (with an 8.0 rating, L+7).
The #1 reality series, "The Voice" (4.6).
The #1 new series, "The Blacklist" (4.4).
Counting originals only, the #1 drama, "The Blacklist" (4.9, originals only).
The #1 summer series, "America's Got Talent" (tied with a 2.7 rating in 18-49, #1 outright in total viewers, most current).
NBC's lineup features the three highest-rated regular-schedule averages on the Big 4:

NBC's Sunday (3.6 rating in 18-49, "most current," regularly scheduled programming).
NBC's Monday (3.5).
NBC's Tuesday (2.9).
Looking at NBC's averages for regular programming this season vs. last in adults 18-49, NBC's regular schedule is up on six of seven nights:

Mondays are up +3%
Tuesdays are up +4%
Wednesdays are up +5%
Thursdays are down 6%
Fridays are up +23%
Saturdays are up +33%
Sundays are up +13%.
It was also an exceptional season for NBC specials:

"The Sound of Music Live!" was the season's #1 movie event, delivering NBC's biggest Thursday in total viewers since 2004 (18.7 million, L+SD; 21.8 million, L+7).
"The 71st Golden Globes" hit a 10-year high in total viewers (20.9 million, L+SD).
"The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards" generated the event's second biggest audience in eight years (15.6 million).
"Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" delivered its biggest audience in People Meter history (25.2 million), as did "The NATIONAL DOG SHOW Presented by Purina" (10.7 million).
"Christmas in Rockefeller Center" hit a seven-year high in adults 18-49 (2.3).
"NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" delivered the biggest audience in its nine-year history (9.5 million).
SEASON AVERAGES

Adults 18-49, "Most Current" thru Sept. 14

Net... STD '12-13... STD '13-14...Diff

NBC...2.1...2.4...Up 14%

CBS...2.4...2.0...Down 17%

ABC...2.0...1.9...Down 5%

Fox...2.1...2.1...Even

Total Viewers, "Most Current" thru Sept. 14

Net... STD '12-13... STD '13-14...Diff

NBC...6.642 million ...8.272 million...Up 25%

CBS...9.966 million...9.272 million... Down 7%

ABC...6.986 million ...6.819 million...Down 2%

Fox...5.990 million ...6.165 million...Up 3%

NBC has also won its fourth summer in a row in adults 18-49, and was the only Big 4 network to match its year-ago rating in adults 18-49. NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 among the Big 4 during 12 weeks this summer while no other network has won more than four weeks. NBC is also #1 for the summer among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 25-54, adults 18-34, women 18-49, women 25-54 and all key adult-male demos.

NBC's summer programming highlights include:

"America's Got Talent," the most-watched summer series for a ninth year in a row.
"American Ninja Warrior," which has grown +11% year to year in 18-49 (to a 2.0 from a 1.8) and is tied for the # 11 ranking of the summer (excludes fall football coverage).
"Last Comic Standing," which ranks tied for #16 this summer in 18-49.
"The Night Shift," the #1 new series on the Big 4 this summer in 18-49 and the #6 series overall in total viewers.
SUMMER AVERAGES

Adults 18-49, "Most Current" thru Sept. 14

Net... Summer '13... Summer '14...Diff

NBC...1.6...1.6...Even

CBS...1.3...1.2...Down 8%

ABC...1.4...1.3...Down 7%

Fox...1.4...1.2...Down 14%

Total Viewers, "Most Current" thru Sept. 14

Net... Summer '13... Summer '14...Diff

NBC...5.771 million ...6.017 million...Up 4%

CBS...5.960 million...6.098 million... Up 2%

ABC...4.920 million ...4.918 million...Down 0.0%

Fox...3.716 million ...3.522 million...Down 5%

In late-night, "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers" have established themselves as the dominant choices in those time periods. Since the debuts of Fallon and Meyers in February:

"Tonight" is outrating the ABC and CBS time-period competition combined in adults 18-49 (with a 1.19 rating vs. a combined 1.10, L+SD through Aug. 7).
"Tonight" is up by +47% versus year-ago results (1.19 vs. 0.81).
Meyers is outrating CBS's Letterman (0.56 vs. 0.48), despite starting an hour later.
Meyers is delivering bigger audiences than the ABC and CBS time-period competition in every key ratings measure - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

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