NBC's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Ranks #1 Among Big 4

NBC has finished #2 for the ratings week of Sept. 8-14, led by Sunday's Bears-49ers "Sunday Night Football" telecast, which ranked #1 among Big 4 primetime programs in every key ratings measure - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

For the week, NBC also tied for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-34 and was #1 outright in women 18-34.

According to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, NBC finished the week with an average 2.3 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 7.8 million viewers overall.

NBC finished the week within a tenth of a rating point of #1 CBS, whose schedule included Thursday NFL football (which benefited from an additional 1.6 rating points in adults 18-49 and 3.4 million viewers overall from the game's NFL Network simulcast), a high-rated Saturday college-football overrun and a high-rated Sunday NFL overrun.

Joining NBC's "Sunday Night Football" in the week's top 30 were three telecasts of "America's Got Talent" (tied for #11 with Tuesday's edition, tied for #13 with Wednesday's original and tied for #26 with Wednesday's encore), "American Ninja Warrior" (tied for #13), "The Biggest Loser" season premiere (tied for #17) and Friday's "Dateline NBC" (tied for #26). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

Versus the same week a year ago, NBC was up +5% in adults 18-49 (to a 2.3 rating from a 2.2) and up +11% in total viewers (7.8 million vs. 7.0 million).

Through 51 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, men 18-49, 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 8.3 million viewers, which is its biggest overall audience 51 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 (8.3 million vs. 6.6 million).

Primetime averages for the week of Sept. 8-14 in adults 18-49 are: CBS, 2.4/9; NBC, 2.3/7; ABC, 1.1/3; Fox, 1.1/3; and CW, 0.3/1. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: CBS, 8.3 million; NBC, 7.8 million; ABC, 4.1 million; Fox, 2.9 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, 0.6/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 9.3 million; NBC, 8.3 million; ABC, 6.8 million; Fox, 6.2 million; and CW, 1.6 million.

NBC highlights for the week of Sept. 8-14:

Monday: "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (1.0 rating, 3 share in adults 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) grew week to week by +11% in 18-49 rating (to a 1.0 from a 0.9), despite this week's "Monday Night Football" competition.

"American Ninja Warrior" (1.8/5 in 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) tied for the #2 rating of the night on the Big 4 nets in adults 18-49, finishing within a tenth of a rating point of #1 (with a 1.8 ratings vs. a 1.9 for Fox's 9 p.m. edition of "MasterChef"). "Ninja" improved by +20% on the comparable year-ago finale telecast (1.5/4 from 9-10:01 on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013). In total viewers, the increase was +31% (5.3 million vs. 4.0 million).

"Ninja" grew by +33% from its first hour to its second in adults 18-49 (to a 2.0 rating from a 1.5) to deliver the top-rated hour of the night on the Big 4. "Ninja" won its second hour from 10-11 p.m. among ABC, CBS and NBC in every key demo.

Tuesday: NBC ranked #1 for the night among the Big 4 in all key measures, led by the #1 show of the night in total viewers, "America's Got Talent" (1.9/6 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET), which grew +6% week to week in adult 18-49 rating (to a 1.9 from a 1.8) and +9% in total viewers (9.8 million vs. 9.0 million) to hit a six-week Tuesday high by that measure (best since July 29, 10.6 million). "America's Got Talent" won its two-hour time period among the Big 4 in every key category.

"Food Fighters" (1.0/4 in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) retained 91% of its 1.1 rating from the prior week in adults 18-49 and 99% of the prior week's 4.4 million in total viewers, despite facing the first Tuesday "Big Brother" of the season, the season finale of "Extreme Weight Loss" and the regular-slot debut of "Utopia." "Food Fighters" tied for #2 in the time period among the Big 4 in adults 18-49 and ranked #2 in total viewers. From half-hour to half-hour, "Food Fighters" grew in every key ratings measure, including a gain of +22% in adults 18-49 (to a 1.1 rating from a 0.9).

Wednesday: NBC ranked #1 for the night in total viewers and tied for #1 in adults 25-54 with the #1 show of the night in total viewers, "America's Got Talent" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 10.5 million viewers overall from 9:18-10:19 p.m. ET). In the time period, "Talent" ranked #1 or tied for #1 among the Big 4 in all key measures. It was "Talent's" top Wednesday telecast in total viewers in six weeks (since July 30).

"Taxi Brooklyn" (0.8/3 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall from 10:19-11:18 p.m. ET) ranked #1 in its time period among ABC, CBS and NBC in total viewers, ahead of CBS's original "Extant" and ABC's encore "Shark Tank," while tying "Extant" for #2 among those nets in adults 18-49.

An encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" (1.2/4 in 18-49, 6.9 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) scored the show's highest rating for a rebroadcast since July 30 and delivered a season high for a Wednesday encore in total viewers.

News coverage of President Obama's address from 9-9:18 pm. ET was sustaining and will not be counted in nightlong or weeklong averages.

Thursday: NBC finished as the night's top non-sports net among the Big 4 in all key measures, with "The Biggest Loser" and "The Secret Lives of Pets" ranking as the night's #1-#2 non-sports telecasts on the Big 4 in 18-49 and total viewers.

The season debut of "The Biggest Loser" (1.6/5 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) ranked as the top non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 in 18-49, total viewers and every other key measure. "The Biggest Loser" scored NBC's top non-sports results in the slot since May 1 in 18-49 and total viewers and beat NBC's time-period average in the slot last season by +23% in 18-49 (1.6 vs. 1.3, L+SD non-sports) and total viewers by +33% (5.4 million vs. 4.1 million).

The NBC NEWS SPECIAL "The Secret Lives of Pets" (1.0/3 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #2 non-sports telecast of the night on the Big 4 in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers, behind only "The Biggest Loser."

Friday: NBC ranked #1 for the night among the Big 4 networks in 18-49 with the #1 show of the night on those nets in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, "Dateline NBC" (1.2/5 in 18-49, 6.1 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET). "Dateline" delivered its highest 18-49 rating in six weeks (since Aug. 1, a 1.2) and equaled its highest Friday result in three months (since May 30, a 1.3). In total viewers, it was the most-watched "Dateline" in seven weeks (since July 25, 6.117 million). Week to week, "Dateline" grew +33% in 18-49 rating (to a 1.2 from a 0.9), +31% in adults 25-54 (1.7 vs. 1.3) and +26% in total viewers (6.1 million vs. 4.8 million).

An encore telecast of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (0.7/3 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) matched the show's highest 18-49 rating among six Friday encores this summer and set a new high in total viewers. In the time period, "Running Wild" tied for #2 in 18-49 among the Big 4 networks.

Saturday: NBC Sports' coverage of Purdue-Notre Dame COLLEGE FOOTBALL from Indianapolis (0.8/3 in 18-49, 3.1 million viewers overall from 7:30-11:14 p.m. ET) generated NBC's second-highest-rated Saturday night in adults 18-49 since June 28, trailing over that span only the prior week's Michigan-Notre Dame telecast.

Sunday: NBC Sports' "Sunday Night Football" (8.5/25 in 18-49, 22.2 million viewers overall from 8:31-11:40 p.m. ET), featuring the Chicago Bears at the San Francisco 49ers, led NBC to decisive nightlong wins in every key ratings measure.

Versus week two one year ago, the Bears-49ers game was up in adults 18-49 (to an 8.5 rating vs. an 8.4) and total viewers (22.2 million vs. 20.5 million). It's the most watched week two "SNF" telecast since 2011.

For the night (from 7:30-11 p.m. ET), NBC averaged a 7.2/21 in 18-49 and 18.9 million viewers overall, giving it an 89% margin over #2 CBS in nightlong 18-49 averages (7.2 from 7:30-11 p.m. for NBC vs. 3.8 from 7-11 for CBS).

WEEKLY AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category

ADULTS 18-49

CBS 2.4/9, 3.0 million

NBC 2.3/7, 2.9 million

ABC 1.1/3, 1.4 million

Fox 1.1/3, 1.3 million

CW 0.3/1, 0.4 million

Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers

ADULTS 25-54

CBS 2.9/8, 3.4 million

NBC 2.7/8, 3.2 million

ABC 1.4/4, 1.6 million

Fox 1.2/3, 1.5 million

CW 0.3/1, 0.4 million

Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers

TOTAL VIEWERS

CBS 2.8/8, 8.3 million

NBC 2.6/7, 7.8 million

ABC 1.4/4, 4.1 million

Fox 1.0/3, 2.9 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, 2.6 million

CBS 2.0/6, 2.6 million

ABC 1.9/6, 2.4 million

CW 0.6/2, 0.8 million

Each rating point equals 1.27 million viewers

ADULTS 25-54

NBC 2.9/8, 3.5 million

CBS 2.7/7, 3.3 million

Fox 2.4/7, 2.9 million

ABC 2.3/6, 2.8 million

CW 0.7/2, 0.8 million

Each rating point equals 1.20 million viewers

TOTAL VIEWERS

CBS 3.1/9, 9.3 million

NBC 2.8/8, 8.3 million

ABC 2.3/6, 6.8 million

Fox 2.1/6, 6.2 million

CW 0.6/1, 1.6 million

Each rating point equals 2.89 million viewers

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