NBC Tops Primetime Ratings for 10th Time This Summer

NBC has tied for #1 for the Primetime week of Aug. 18-24 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, marking the 10th time this summer NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 among those nets, making it the only Big 4 network to have won more than three weeks since the close of the traditional season. For the week, NBC averaged a 1.2 rating, 4 share in adults 18-49 and 5.1 million viewers overall, according to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Tuesday's "America's Got Talent" tied for #5 among Primetime programs on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX last week in adults 18-49 and teamed with the Wednesday edition to generate the #1 and #2 ratings on those nets in total viewers. Sunday's Bengals-Cardinals NFL Preseason telecast ranked #4 on the Big 4 in adults 18-49 and was the #1 Primetime telecast on those nets in men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

Joining Sunday football and the Tuesday "Talent" in the top 25 for the week among Primetime shows on the Big 4 in adults 18-49 were Wednesday's "Talent" (#7), Monday's "American Ninja Warrior" (#8), Monday's "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (tied for #19), Friday's "Dateline NBC" rebroadcast (tied for #19), Wednesday's "Talent" encore (tied for #19) and Tuesday's "Food Fighters" (tied for #24). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

Through 48 weeks of the 2013-14 broadcast year, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, adults 18-34 (tied with Fox), men 18-49 (tied with Fox), men 25-54 and all key adult-female demos. It's the first time NBC has ranked #1 in adults 18-49 at this point in the season in 10 years (since the 2003-04 season).

Versus one year ago, NBC is up +14% for the broadcast year to date in adults 18-49 (2.4 vs. 2.1).

In total viewers, NBC ranks #2 for the broadcast year with an average of 8.2 million viewers, which is its biggest overall audience 48 weeks into the season in six years (since 2007-08, 8.5 million). Versus one year ago, NBC is up +25% season to date in total viewers (8.2 million vs. 6.6 million).

Primetime averages for the week of Aug. 18-24 in adults 18-49 are: CBS, 1.2/4; NBC, 1.2/4; ABC, 0.9/3; Fox, 0.8/3; and CW, 0.3/1. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: CBS, 5.8 million; NBC, 5.1 million; ABC, 4.0 million; Fox, 2.6 million; and CW, 0.9 million.

Season-to-date averages are: NBC, 2.4/7; Fox, 2.1/7; CBS, 2.0/6; ABC, 1.9/6; and CW, 0.7/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 9.4 million; NBC, 8.3 million; ABC, 7.0 million; Fox, 6.3 million; and CW, 1.7 million.

NBC highlights for the week of Aug. 18-24:

Monday: "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (1.1/4 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) matched the year-ago "Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls" in 18-49 (1.1 vs. 1.1 from 9-10 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013) and was up +11% in total viewers (3.8 million vs. 3.4 million).

"American Ninja Warrior" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) won the time period among the Big 4 in every key demographic and tied for the #1 adult 18-34 rating of the night on the Big 4. From its first half-hour to its fourth, "Ninja" grew +25% in 18-49 rating (to a 2.0 from a 1.6) and +22% in total viewers (6.2 million vs. 5.1 million). "American Ninja Warrior" delivered the show's biggest overall audience since July 21 and second biggest of the season.

Tuesday: NBC won Tuesday night among the Big 4 in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures, led by the #1 show of the night on those nets in all key measures, "America's Got Talent" (2.0/7 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET). "America's Got Talent" won the slot by a +122% margin among the Big 4 (with a 2.0 rating vs. a 0.9 for the original competition of #2 ABC).

"Food Fighters" (1.0/4 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) grew week to week by +6% in total viewers (4.6 million vs. 4.3 million) to its top result in three weeks. "Food Fighters" ranked #1 in The Hour among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults, men and women 18-34. From half-hour to half-hour, "Food Fighters" grew in every key measure, including a gain of +22% in adults 18-49 (1.1 vs. 0.9).

Wednesday: NBC ranked #1 for the night in total viewers with the #1 show of the night by that measure, "America's Got Talent" (1.9/6 in 18-49, 9.4 million viewers overall from 9-10:01 p.m. ET), which won its time period among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in every key measure. "America's Got Talent" built by +73% on its lead-in from an 8 p.m. encore in 18-49 and by +66% in total viewers.

"Taxi Brooklyn" (0.8/3 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) finished within 0.1 of a point of CBS's "Extant" for #1 in the slot among ABC, CBS and NBC and within 0.2 of "Taxi's" 18-49 series high (1.0). Versus "Camp" in this time period on the same night last year, "Taxi Brooklyn" was up +46% or 1.4 million persons in total viewers (4.6 million vs. 3.2 million).

An encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" (1.1/4 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) grew from its first half-hour to its second in all key measures, including a gain of +30% in adults 18-49 (to a 1.3 rating from a 1.0).

Thursday: "Welcome to Sweden" returned after the prior week's preemption with two episodes that both equaled the show's top 18-49 rating since July 24.

From 9:01-9:30 p.m. ET "Welcome to Sweden" (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.3 million viewers overall) grew 0.2 of a rating point or +40% versus the show's prior telecast on Aug. 7 and was up +6% in total viewers (2.3 million vs. 2.2 million).

A second telecast of "Welcome to Sweden" (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.0 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET) retained 100% of its 18-49 lead-in to equal NBC's second-best rating in this 9:30-10 p.m. time period since June 26, trailing over that span only last week's "Last Comic" finale.

An encore telecast of "Hollywood Game Night" (0.9/4 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall from 8-9:01 p.m. ET) ranked #2 in the time period on the Big 4 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

A rebroadcast of "America's Got Talent" (0.6/2 in 18-49, 2.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) grew by +21% from half-hour to half-hour in total viewers (to 2.6 million viewers from 2.2 million).

Friday: An encore telecast of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" averaged a 0.4/2 in 18-49 and 2.1 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.

"Dateline NBC" (1.1/4 in 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and the #1 non-sports show on those nets. In adults 25-54 and total viewers, "Dateline" was also #2 for the night on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX and #1 among non-sports programs on those networks. "Dateline" matched the show's top Friday rating in 18-49 since Aug. 1.

Saturday: "The P&G 2014 U.S. Gymnastics Championships" averaged a 0.4/2 in 18-49 and 2.0 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET.

A rebroadcast of "Law & Order: SVU" delivered a 0.9/3 in 18-49 and 3.8 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET, matching its 18-49 rating of the prior two weeks in this slot.

Sunday: "Dateline NBC" (0.9/4 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall from 7-8 p.m. ET) reported NBC's highest 18-49 and total-viewer results in the slot since a U.S. Open golf overrun on June 15..

NBC Sports coverage of Sunday's Cincinnati Bengals-Arizona Cardinals NFL Preseason Game (2.1/6 in 18-49, 7.0 million viewers overall from 8:08-11:02 p.m. ET) led NBC to the nightlong win among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54, all key adult-male demos, households and total viewers. It's the #2 preseason telecast so far this summer in total viewers and household rating, and tied for #2 in adults 18-49, behind only the Aug. 3 Giants-Bills Hall of Fame Game on NBC.

WEEKLY AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category

ADULTS 18-49

CBS 1.2/4, 1.6 million

NBC 1.2/4, 1.6 million

ABC 0.9/3, 1.2 million

FOX 0.8/3, 1.1 million

CW 0.3/1, 0.4 million

Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers

ADULTS 25-54

CBS 1.7/5, 2.0 million

NBC 1.6/5, 1.9 million

ABC 1.3/4, 1.5 million

FOX 1.0/3, 1.2 million

CW 0.4/1, 0.4 million

Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers

TOTAL VIEWERS

CBS 2.0/6, 5.8 million

NBC 1.7/5, 5.1 million

ABC 1.4/4, 4.0 million

FOX 0.9/3, 2.6 million

CW 0.3/1, 0.9 million

Each rating point equals 2.95 million viewers

SEASON TO DATE
Average rating, share and audience in each category

ADULTS 18-49

NBC 2.4/7, 3.0 million

FOX 2.1/7, 2.7 million

CBS 2.0/6, 2.6 million

ABC 1.9/6, 2.5 million

CW 0.7/2, 0.8 million

Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers

ADULTS 25-54

NBC 2.9/8, 3.5 million

CBS 2.8/8, 3.3 million

FOX 2.5/7, 3.0 million

ABC 2.4/6, 2.9 million

CW 0.7/2, 0.8 million

Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers

TOTAL VIEWERS

CBS 3.2/9, 9.4 million

NBC 2.8/8, 8.3 million

ABC 2.4/6, 7.0 million

FOX 2.1/6, 6.3 million

CW 0.6/1, 1.7 million

Each rating point equals 2.89 million viewers

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