NBC Ties For #1 In 18-49 For Primetime Week Of 5/21-5/27

NBC has tied for #1 in the key adult 18-49 demographic for the primetime ratings week of May 21-27, according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

NBC's week was paced by top-10 ratings for the Monday and Tuesday editions of "The Voice" (tied for #5 among primetime telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) and the season finale of "Law & Order: SVU" (#10). Tuesday's "Voice" season finale ranked #3 among those shows in total viewers.

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in every key demographic - adults, men and women 18-34; adults, men and women 18-49; and adults, men and women 25-54.

Counting entertainment programming only, NBC leads the season in adults 18-49, and also ranks #1 or tied for #1 among the Big 4 in adults 25-54, men 18-49, women 18-49, women 25-54 and men 18-34.

Weekly ratings are "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date ratings are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Week 34 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," May 21-27

NBC...0.8

ABC...0.8

CBS...0.7

Fox...0.7

CW...0.3

Total Viewers

CBS...5.0 million

NBC...4.4 million

ABC...4.1 million

Fox...2.7 million

CW...0.8 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

NBC...2.1

CBS...1.5

ABC...1.5

Fox...1.5

CW...0.6

Total Viewers

CBS...8.9 million

NBC...8.8 million

ABC...6.1 million

Fox...4.9 million

CW...1.7 million

NBC highlights for the week of May 21-27:

Monday

"The Voice" (1.5 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) won the two-hour 8-10 p.m. timeslot among the Big 4 networks versus ABC's season finales for "Dancing With the Stars: Athletes" and "American Idol." Despite the night's special competition, "Voice" finished within 0.1 of its week-earlier rating in 18-49 (1.5. vs.1 .6) and retained 99.6% in total viewers (8.665 million vs. 8.696 million).

"Live Plus Three Day" Ratings: "Voice" increased by +14% in 18-49 (from a 1.52 rating to a 1.74) and +991,000 viewers overall (8.7 million to 9.7 million) going from "live plus same day" Nielsens to L+3.

Upscale: "The Voice" is delivering a solid upscale audience, generating a 108 index among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes, according to "most current" Nielsens, including L+3).

"Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (0.7/3 in 18-49, 2.9 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) ranked #2 or tied for #2 in the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC every key demographic. Despite special competition from the climactic hour of the "American Idol" finale, "Running Wild" finished within 0.1 of the prior week's rating in 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.8) and retained 97% in total viewers (2.9 million vs. 3.0 million). L+3: "Running Wild" increased by +12% in 18-49 (0.66 to 0.74) and +320,000 viewers overall (2.9 million to 3.2 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens.

Tuesday

NBC won Tuesday in 18-49 and total viewers among the Big 4 networks, led by the top Tuesday edition of "The Voice" since April 24. NBC's 1.4 for the night is its highest Tuesday 18-49 average since March 20. It's the first time this season ABC has lost a Tuesday in 18-49 among the Big 4 networks on a night with "Roseanne" on the schedule.

From 8-9 p.m., a recap episode of "The Voice" averaged a 1.1/5 in 18-49 and 6.1 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.

The finale of "The Voice 14" (1.5/6 in 18-49, 8.8 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) generated NBC's top 18-49 rating in the Tuesday 9-11 p.m. timeslot since March 13, the night of the "This Is Us" season finale, and earned NBC's best total-viewer result in the time period, excluding the Olympics, since Jan. 16. "The Voice" won the timeslot among the Big 4 nets in every key measure, delivering a +67% margin of victory among the Big 4 networks in the timeslot in 18-49 (1.5 vs. 0.9 for #2 ABC). With week-to-week growth of +7% in both 18-49 (1.5 vs. 1.4 from 8-9:01 p.m.) and total viewers (8.8 million vs. 8.2 million), the "Voice" finale earned the show's best Tuesday results since April 24 (1.6 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall). L+3: "The Voice" grew by +14% in 18-49 (1.51 to 1.72) and +957,000 viewers overall (8.8 million to 9.7 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens.

Wednesday

An encore telecast of "Law & Order: SVU" averaged a 0.6/3 in 18-49 and 3.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.

The season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1.2/5 in 18-49, 6.1 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) grew +20% week to week in 18-49 (1.2 vs. 1.0 from 9-10 p.m.) and +15% in total viewers (6.119 million vs. 5.314 million), to equal the show's highest 18-49 rating since April 18 (1.4) and generate a three-week high in total viewers (most-watched since May 2, 6.2 million). For its second hour from 10-11 p.m., "SVU" ranked #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC, topping CBS' #2 "Survivor" finale / reunion by +18% in 18-49 (1.3 vs. 1.1 from 10-11). In total viewers, "SVU" was the #2 show of the night on the Big 4. L+3: "SVU" grew +51% in 18-49 (1.19 to 1.80) and more than +2.1 million viewers overall (6.1 million to 8.3 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens, for the biggest L+3 lifts of the night on the Big 4 in 18-49 percentage and total viewers.

Thursday

"Celebrity Ninja Warrior: For Red Nose Day" (0.8/4 in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) grew from its first half-hour to its second half-hour in every key ratings measure. L+3: "Ninja" increased by +18% in 18-49 (0.83 to 0.98) and +448,000 viewers overall (3.7 million to 4.1 million) going from L+SD to L+3, for the biggest L+3 lifts of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 rating and percentage.

"Hollywood Game Night" (0.8/3 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) ranked #2 in 18-49 among the Big 4 nets in the timeslot. L+3: "HGN" increased by +17% in 18-49 (0.77 to 0.90) and +427,000 viewers overall (3.3 million to 3.7 million) going from L+SD to L+3.

From 10-11 p.m., "The Red Nose Day Special" averaged a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 2.0 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET.

Friday

NBC tied for #1 among the Big 4 networks for the night in adults 18-49.

From 8-9 p.m. ET, two episodes of "Champions" earned a 0.4 and 0.3 in 18-49, respectively, with 1.9 million and 1.3 million viewers overall. The 8 p.m. episode equaled the show's highest 18-49 rating since April 5 (0.5) and was the most-watched "Champions" episode since April 5 (2.0 million). L+3: The 8 p.m. "Champions" grew by +24% in 18-49 (0.38 to 0.47) and +219,000 viewers overall (1.9 million to 2.1 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens, and the 8:30 telecast increased by +26% (0.31 to 0.39) and 214,000 persons (1.3 million to 1.6 million)..

"Dateline NBC" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 0.9 in adults 25-54, 3.9 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show in the timeslot among the Big 4 networks in 18-49 and 25-54. For the night, "Dateline" tied as the #1 show on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX in 18-49 and was #1 outright on those nets in 25-54.L+3: The prior Friday's "Dateline" increased by +29% in 18-49 (0.78 to 1.01) and +1.1 million viewers overall (4.6 million to 5.7 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens.

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