RATINGS: NBC Wins the Primetime Week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 6 in Total Viewers

NBC has won the primetime ratings week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6 in total viewers, averaging 2.82 million persons to top the 2.81 million of ABC, 2.58 million of CBS and 1.17 million of CBS, according to "live plus same day" ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

Excluding sports and news programming, the #1 most-watched show of the week was Tuesday's "America's Got Talent," while Wednesday's edition was #2. Also ranking among the top 10 primetime telecasts on the Big 4, excluding sports and news, were Tuesday's premiere of "Transplant" (#6) and Monday's "American Ninja Warrior" (#10).

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 50 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," Aug. 31-Sept. 6

ABC...0.7

NBC...0.5

CBS...0.4

Fox...0.3

CW...0.1

Total Viewers

NBC...2.8 million

ABC...2.8 million

CBS...2.6 million

Fox...1.2 million

CW...0.5 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

Fox...1.3

NBC...1.1

ABC...0.9

CBS...0.9

CW...0.3

Total Viewers

CBS...6.4 million

NBC...5.5 million

Fox...4.8 million

ABC...4.7 million

CW...1.0 million

NBC highlights for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6:

Monday

NBC finished #1 among the Big 4 networks Monday night in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers. NBC has now finished #1 or tied for #1 on 15 of 15 Monday nights so far this summer among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49.

An "All Star Skills Challenge Special" edition of "American Ninja Warrior" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 3.4 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers. The special grew +20% versus the most recent prior "Ninja" original in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.4 on Sunday, Jan. 26 from 9-11p.m. for a "USA vs. The World" special) and more than +1.2 million persons or +59% in total viewers (3.4 million vs. 2.2 million). It was NBC's biggest total viewership in the timeslot since July 6 (3.6 million). Digital / Social: With 40,100 Total Social Interactions, Monday's "Ninja" jumped +164% versus the prior original in January (15,200) and +57% versus last year's three-hour "All Star Skills Special" (25,500).

An encore telecast of "Dateline NBC" (0.4 rating in adults 18-49, 0.7 in adults 25-54, 2.8 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) tied as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and 25-54 behind only "American Ninja Warrior," and won the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers. The 2.774 million is NBC's top total-viewer result in the timeslot since July 27 (2.781 million).

Tuesday

NBC won Tuesday night in total viewers despite competition from NBA Game 7 coverage on ABC, and has now won eight consecutive Tuesdays in viewers.

"America's Got Talent" (0.8 rating in 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers and adults 25-54, despite competition from NBA Game 7 coverage on ABC, and was the #1 entertainment telecast in adults 18-49. "Talent" grew to three-week highs in 18-49 and total viewers (best since Aug. 11, 0.9 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers) with week-to-week gains of +14% in both 18-49 (0.8 vs. 0.7) and total viewers (6.4 million vs. 5.6 million). Digital / Social: With 954,500 Total Social Interactions, the Sept. 1 telecast generated the highest activity for "AGT" so far this season, up +82% versus the prior week's 524,700 and up +89% versus the show's Tuesday season average of 505,900.

The U.S. premiere of "Transplant" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) won the timeslot in total viewers, delivering NBC's best total-viewer result in the hour since June 30 (3.995 million), despite this week's competition from NBA Game 7 coverage on ABC. "Transplant" was up +7% versus NBC's total-viewer average in the timeslot earlier this summer (4.0 million vs. 3.7 million). Delayed Viewing: After three days of digital and linear delayed viewing, last week's "Transplant" premiere was up +72% in 18-49 rating versus its next-day L+SD result (0.42 to 0.72).

Wednesday

A live results telecast of "America's Got Talent" (0.6 rating in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall from 8-9:01 p.m. ET) is the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers, up +13% week to week in total viewers (5.7 million vs. 5.0 million) to a three-week high, the show's top total-viewer result since Aug. 12 (6.2 million). "AGT" won the timeslot networks in total viewers.

A rebroadcast of "Ellen's Game of Games" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.5 million viewers overall from 9:01-11 p.m. ET) tied for #1 in the hour among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49. "Games" maintained 100% versus the previous week's encore in this timeslot in 18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.4) and increased by +8% in total viewers (2.5 million vs. 2.3 million), matching the show's best encore rating since April 28 (0.8) and earning its biggest overall viewership since July 23 (2.6 million).

An encore telecast of "Chicago Med" averaged a 0.3 rating in 18-49 and 2.0 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET.

Thursday

A rebroadcast of "The Wall" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.6 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) topped the episode's viewership for its original run on Sunday, May 17 by +0.1 of a rating point or +33% in 18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.3) and by +28% in total viewers (2.6 million vs. 2.0 million).

A rebroadcast of Tuesday's premiere of "Transplant" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) matched NBC's best 18-49 result in the timeslot since May 21 (0.4) and captured the net's biggest overall audience in the slot since that same night of May 21 (2.3 million). Versus summer averages in the timeslot, the "Transplant" encore maintained 100% in 18-49 (0.3 vs. 0.3) and increases by +12% in total viewers (2.1 million vs 1.8 million).

A rebroadcast "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 2.0 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) equaled the top-rated "SVU" encore in 18-49 since April 9 (0.4).

Friday

A rebroadcast of "America's Got Talent" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 1.6 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) equaled the prior week's encore in this timeslot in 18-49 rating (0.3 vs. 0.3).

An encore telecast of "Dateline NBC" (0.3 rating in adults 18-49, 0.5 in adults 25-54, 2.3 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) retained 100% week to week in adults 18-49 (0.3 vs. 0.3) and adults 25-54 (0.5 vs. 0.5) and grew +5% in total viewers (2.3 million vs. 2.2 million).

Saturday

NBC Sports coverage of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Game 7 matchup between the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers (0.9 rating in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall from 8-11 p.m. ET) won the night among the Big 4 networks in 18-49 and led to the net's highest Saturday primetime average since April 18 (0.8). The game averaged a preliminary Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 2.57 million viewers, MAKING IT the most-watched game of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs to date. The Islanders-Flyers matchup scored as the most-watched Game 7 in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five years (since 2015 with Capitals-Rangers attracting 2.75 million viewers), and the third-most watched early round Game 7 on record.

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