NBC's AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR Ties Its Second Best Rating

NBC tied for the nightlong win in adults 18-49 among the Big 4, as "American Ninja Warrior" matched its second-best rating in two years and "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" retained 93% of the prior Monday's premiere rating.

· "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (1.3 rating, 5 share in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) retained 93% of last week's debut 1.4 rating in 18-49 and 91% of last week's 4.4 million viewers overall. The 1.3 rating tied for the best week-two rating among the six new reality shows on the Big 4 so far this summer that have run at least two weeks (tied with NBC's "Food Fighters"). In the time period, "Running Wild" tied for #2 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 and finished #2 outright among those nets in adults 25-54

· "American Ninja Warrior" (1.9/6 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) tied its second-best 18-49 rating in more than two years (since the 2012 season finale on July 23, 2012, trailing over that span only last week's 2.0). "Ninja Warrior" finished just a tenth of a point behind Fox's "MasterChef" for #1 rating of the night in 18-49 (1.9 vs. 2.0). "American Ninja Warrior" won the two-hour time period among the Big 4 in all key demos (adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers).

· From its first hour to its second, "Ninja Warrior" grew by +17% in adults 18-49 (to a 2.1 from a 1.8) and was up +25% in adults 25-54 (2.5 vs. 2.0).

· The 1.9 rating in 18-49 is up +36% versus an 8-9 p.m. telecast on the same night last year (1.4 on Aug. 5, 2013). In total viewers, "Ninja Warrior" grew versus that year-ago telecast by +11% (5.555 million vs. 4.989 million).

In Late-Night Metered Markets Monday Night:

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.6/4 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.3/1 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.8/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

For the Week:

· NBC has won the Primetime week of July 28-Aug. 3 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and total viewers, with the NFL Hall of Fame Game and "America's Got Talent" accounting for the #1 and #2 ratings of the week on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 and the top three scores of the week in total viewers.

· Also ranking in the Primetime top 30 last week were "American Ninja Warrior," "Dateline NBC," "Running Wild with Bear Grylls," "Food Fighters," "Dateline NBC" and "Last Comic Standing." NBC averaged a 1.4 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49 and 5.4 million viewers overall for the week, according to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

· This marks the 11th week in a row that NBC has ranked #1 or tied for #1 in adults 18-49 among the Big 4 nets excluding networks boosted by the major sporting events the NBA Finals and the Baseball All-Star Game. In total viewers, this is NBC's first weeklong win since the week of Feb. 17-23 during the Sochi Olympics.

· NBC won the week among the Big 4 in every key ratings measure - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers - including a tie with ABC in women 25-54.

· Sunday's NBC Sports coverage of the Giants-Bills Hall of Fame Game ranked #1 for the week among Primetime telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49, while the Tuesday "Talent" finished #2, Wednesday's "Talent" tied for #4, Monday's "American Ninja Warrior" tied for #8, Monday's premiere of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" ranked #14, Tuesday's "Food Fighters" finished #15, Friday's "Dateline NBC" and Wednesday's "Talent" encore tied for #16 and Thursday's "Last Comic Standing" tied for #22. Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

· The Giants-Bills NFL game was also #1 for the week on the Big 4 in adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and all key adult-male demos while "Talent" was #1 in total viewers, kids 2-11 and teens 12-17. In adults 18-34, "Ninja Warrior" was #2 and the #1 non-sports telecast on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox

· Through 45 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).

· NBC's 2.4 rating in adults 18-49 matches the network's top average at this point in the season in four years (since a 2.5 in 2009-10).

· Versus one year ago, NBC is up +9% for the broadcast year to date in adults 18-49 (2.4 vs. 2.2).

· In total viewers, NBC ranks #2 for the broadcast year with an average of 8.4 million viewers, which is its biggest overall audience 45 weeks into the season in eight years (since 2005-06, 9.0 million). Versus one year ago, NBC is up +26% season to date in total viewers (8.4 million vs. 6.7 million). It's the first time NBC has ranked #2 in total viewers at this point in the season in 10 years.

WEEKLY RESULTS
Adults 18-49, L+SD
Net... Week 45, 2012-13... Week 45, 2013-14...Diff
NBC...1.6...1.4...Down 12%
CBS...1.2...1.0... Down 17%
ABC...1.0...1.1... Up 10%
Fox...0.9...0.8... Down 11%

Total Viewers, L+SD
Net... Week 45, 2012-13... Week 45, 2013-14...Diff
NBC...5.423 million ...5.406 million...Down 0.3%
CBS...5.777 million...5.299 million...Down 8%
ABC...3.962 million ...4.490 million...Up 13%
Fox....2.380 million ...2.285 million...Down 4%

SEASON AVERAGES
Adults 18-49, "Most Current"
Net... STD '12-13... STD '13-14...Diff
NBC...2.2...2.4...Up 9%
CBS...2.5...2.1...Down 16%
ABC...2.1...2.0...Down 5%
Fox...2.2...2.2...Even

Total Viewers, "Most Current"
Net... STD '12-13... STD '13-14...Diff
NBC...6.709 million ...8.426 million...Up 26%
CBS...10.451 million...9.592 million... Down 8%
ABC...7.292 million ...7.116 million...Down 2%
Fox...6.276 million ...6.526 million...Up 4%

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated. Season figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

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