NBC's TONIGHT SHOW & LATE NIGHT Rule the Week with Season Highs

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers" have dominated the ratings week of Dec. 12-16, with "Tonight" scoring its second-highest 18-49 average of the season and "Late Night" equaling its season high. In fact, Meyers tied CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and beat ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" for the week in 18-49, despite starting an hour later.

For the week, "Tonight's" 0.92 rating in adults 18-49 trails only a 0.98 for the holiday week of Nov. 21-25 among the show's weekly results this season.

In total viewers, "Tonight averaged 3.470 million persons, making this Fallon's #2 most-watched week in nine months, slightly behind the 3.478 million for Nov. 28-Dec. 2 and otherwise, "Tonight's" most-watched week since Feb. 29-March 4 (3.481 million). For Meyers (1.725 million), it's his most-watched week in the past year (since Dec. 14-18, 2015, 1.729 million).

Keying Fallon's big week was the Friday, Dec. 16 edition (1.07 in 18-49, 4.228 million viewers overall, with guests Reese Witherspoon, Andrew Rannells and Warpaint). In both 18-49 and total viewers, it was the show's top telecast on a night with no NFL or Olympic lead-in in six months (since Thursday, June 9, 1.12 in 18-49, 4.522 million total viewers with guests President Barack Obama and Madonna).

For the week, Meyers' 0.48 rating in 18-49 tied Colbert (0.48) and beat Kimmel (0.47) despite "Late Night's" later start time. It also equaled Meyers' season high, previously achieved during Thanksgiving week (0.48 for Nov. 21-25).

"Last Call with Carson Daly" (0.30 in 18-49, 965,000 viewers overall) also excelled last week, with its biggest average audience in 14 weeks (since Sept. 5-9, 986,000).

LATE-NIGHT WEEKLY AVERAGES (According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of Dec. 12-16. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day.")

Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC

To post a comment, you must register and login.