RATINGS: NBC Ties For Dec. 30-Jan. 5 Weekly Win In 18-49

NBC has tied for #1 for the primetime ratings week of Dec. 30-Jan. 5 among the Big 4 networks in the key demographic of adults 18-49 and won the week outright in adults 25-54 and all key adult-female demographics, according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

NBC's schedule accounted for three of the week's five highest-rated primetime entertainment telecasts in adults 18-49, with Sunday's "77th Annual Golden Globe Awards," hosted by Ricky Gervais" #1 on that list and in fact ranking as the #1 primetime entertainment broadcast since last February's Oscars.

Joining the "Globes" among the week's top five entertainment programs in primetime were Tuesday's 10 p.m. "NBC's New Year's Eve" special (#5) and that night's NBC NEWS SPECIAL "A Toast to 2019!" (tied for #6, #5 outright to two decimal places).

The "Globes" coverage was also the #1 primetime entertainment program in total viewers for the week, and #1 since last May's finale of "The Big Bang Theory."

Season to date, NBC's ranks #1 as the most-watched network in total viewers, marking the first time in 20 years, since the 1999-2000 season, that NBC has led in total viewers at this point in the season.

NBC's #1 margin for the season in total viewers is 176,000 persons (7.910 million vs. 7.734 million for #2 CBS), which is NBC's biggest advantage at this point in the season in 22 years (since leading by 1.168 million at this point in 1997-98).

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 15 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," Dec. 30-Jan. 5

NBC...1.5

CBS...1.5

ABC...0.9

Fox...0.5

CW...0.1

Total Viewers

CBS...7.8 million

NBC...6.6 million

ABC...4.1 million

Fox...2.2 million

CW...0.6 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

Fox...1.9

NBC...1.8

CBS...1.1

ABC...1.1

CW...0.4

Total Viewers

NBC...7.9 million

CBS...7.7 million

Fox...6.8 million

ABC...5.3 million

CW...1.2 million

NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 30-Jan. 5:

Monday

An encore telecast of "Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 3.2 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) tied as #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and tied for #1 in the 8-9 p.m. timeslot among those nets in adults 25-54.

Encore telecasts of "Manifest" averaged a 0.4 rating in 18-49 and 2.5 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET and a 0.3 in 18-49 and 1.9 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m.

Tuesday

The NBC NEWS SPECIAL "A Toast to 2019!" (1.0 rating in adults 18-49, 1.3 in adults 25-54, 4.4 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) was up +11% versus last year's telecast in 18-49 (1.0 versus 0.9 on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018) to equal the highest 18-49 rating for the annual special since 2013 (1.6 on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013). From its first half-hour to its fourth, "A Toast to 2019!" increased by +50% in adults 18-49 (from a 0.8 rating to a 1.2), +45% in adults 25-54 (1.1 to 1.6) and +20% in total viewers (4.1 million to 4.9 million).

The 10 p.m. edition of "NBC's New Year's Eve Special 2020" (1.4 rating in 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall from 10-10:59 p.m. ET) grew +8% versus last year's 10 p.m. New Year's Eve special in 18-49 (1.4 vs. 1.3 on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018) and maintained 98% in total viewers (5.3 million vs. 5.4 million) to deliver the highest 18-49 rating for an NBC 10 p.m. New Year's Eve special since 2014 (1.5 on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014). This year's telecast increased by +15% from its first half-hour to its second in adults 18-49 (from a 1.3 rating to a 1.5), +12% in adults 25-54 (1.7 to 1.9) and +12% in total viewers (5.0 million to 5.6 million).

Wednesday

NBC's encore "Chicago" lineup (rebroadcasting the Oct. 16 "Chicago" crossover) won the night among the Big 4 networks in total viewers and adults 25-54 and tied for #1 among those nets in adults 18-49, with the three "Chicago" rebroadcasts the #1-2-3 shows of the night on the Big 4 in total viewers.

An encore "Chicago Fire" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) won the timeslot among the Big 4 networks in total viewers, matching or topping Fox's regular-slot premiere of "Flirty Dancing" in adults 18-49, total viewers and most other key measures.

An encore telecast of "Chicago Med" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) ranked as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers, behind only "Chicago P.D." and ranked #1 in the timeslot among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers and is #1 or tied for #1 among those nets in every other key ratings category.

A rebroadcast of "Chicago P.D." (0.5 rating in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers and tied for #1 in adults 25-54, growing versus the show's most recent rebroadcast by +1.0 million viewers or +30% in total viewers (4.441 million vs. 3.425 million on April 17).

Thursday

An encore telecast of "Superstore" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.0 million viewers overall from 8-8:30 p.m. ET) was up +33% versus the show's most recent rebroadcast in 18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.3 on Sept. 12 at 8:30) and +35% in total viewers (2.0 million vs. 1.5 million).

A second rebroadcast of "Superstore" averaged a 0.3 rating in 18-49 and 1.4 million viewers overall from 8:30-9 p.m. ET.

The NBC Special "The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 1.7 viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) built by +20% on its lead-in in total viewers and maintained 100% in adults 18-49.

An encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 2.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) built by +30% on its lead-in in total viewers and maintained 100% in adults 18-49. Versus the show's prior rebroadcast, the Jan. 2 encore grew +0.1 of a point or +50% in 18-49 (0.3 vs. 0.2 on Sept. 19) and +31% in total viewers (2.2 million vs. 1.7 million). Social: "Law & Order: SVU" generated the week's #1 most shared post on Facebook for all primetime broadcast dramas, garnering 3,000 shares with a post dedicated to Mariska Hargitay and "The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU" (Source: ListenFirst Media, LF // TV UNIVERSE // EPISODIC, 12/30/19-1/5/20, ListenFirst Content Shares [Facebook], Brand Type: TV Shows, Primetime, Broadcast, Drama).

Friday

An encore telecast of "Ellen's Game of Games" (0.7 rating in 18-49, 3.4 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) scored NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the timeslot in more than 13 months, since Nov. 23, 2018 (0.8 with Christmas specials), while retaining 100% of the episode's 18-49 rating for its original airing (0.7 vs. 0.7 on Wednesday Nov. 27, 2019 from 8-9 p.m.).

"Dateline NBC" (0.6 rating in adults 18-49, 0.8 in adults 25-54, 3.3 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) equaled the show's high for a Friday edition in adults 18-49 since June 7 (0.7), increasing by +50% week to week in adults 18-49 (0.6 vs. 0.4 from 10-11 p.m.), +33% in adults 25-54 (0.8 vs. 0.6) and +19% in total viewers (3.3 million vs. 2.8 million). L+7: "Dateline" is growing this season by +49% going from L+SD to L+7 Nielsens in 18-49 rating (from a 0.53 to a 0.79) and +1.2 million viewers overall (3.4 million to 4.6 million).

Sunday

NBC dominated Sunday night in every key measure with "The Golden Globe Awards" and 7-7:40 p.m. ET overrun coverage of Seattle Seahawks-Philadelphia Eagles NFC Wild Card Playoff football.

"The 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards," hosted by Ricky Gervais (4.7 rating in adults 18-49, 18.3 million viewers overall from 8-11:12 p.m.) scored as the #1 primetime entertainment telecast on the broadcast networks since THE ACADEMY AWARDS on Feb. 24, 2019 (7.7) and the most-watched primetime entertainment telecast since the "Big Bang Theory" finale on May 16, 2019 (18.5 million). This year's "Globes" finished within 2% of last year's telecast in total viewers (18.3 million vs. 18.6 million), despite an earlier end to this year's NFL Playoff game that served as the Globes' lead-in.

The 77th "Globes" coverage delivered more than five times NBC's non-sports average in the Sunday 8-11 p.m. timeslot last season in 18-49 (4.7 vs. 0.9, L+SD) and was up +14.5 million persons in total viewers (18.3 million vs. 3.8 million). Excluding nights of sports and prior "Globes" telecasts, this year's event delivered NBC's best Sunday 8-11 p.m. results in nearly five years, since the "SNL 40" special (7.9 in 18-49, 23.480 million viewers from 8-11 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2015).

DIGITAL: Ricky Gervais' opening monologue was the #1 trending video on Youtube for Jan. 5 (Source: ListenFirst Content Rankings, LF // Episodic Plus Network Roll-Ups 2019 [Includes News, Sports & Live Events], ListenFirst Content Video Views [YouTube], 1/5/19).

SOCIAL: Total social activity for "The Golden Globe Awards" is up +48% this year versus last (12.7 million on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter vs. 8.6 million last year). The 77th Annual GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS was the #1 most social program of the day (Source: Nielsen Social Content Ratings, 1/5/20, ranked by total linear episode-level metrics).

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