Broadcast

NBC Dominates Ratings Week Behind Hit Summer Shows

Universal City, CA

It’s the most-watched week for any network in nine weeks and the top-rated week in the 18-49 demo in eight weeks. This is NBC’s seventh straight weekly win in 18-49 and the network has taken six of seven in total viewers.

NBC has won the ratings week of July 31-Aug. 6 among the Big 4 networks in the key demographic of adults 18-49, as well as total viewers and every key ratings measure, led by four of the week’s top eight ratings among Big 4 primetime shows from America’s Got Talent, the NFL Hall of Fame Game, World of Dance and American Ninja Warrior, according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

NBC’s average for the week of 5.4 million viewers makes this the most-watched week for any network in nine weeks, since ABC averaged 6.8 million for June 5-13 during the NBA Finals. In adults 18-49, NBC’s 1.2 rating makes this the highest-rated week for any net in eight weeks, since ABC’s 1.5 for June 12-18, also during the NBA Finals.

America’s Got Talent, paced the week with season-high results in 18-49 and total viewers, with its 2.8 rating in 18-49 the highest for any primetime entertainment telecast on the Big 4 networks since March 22 (2.8 for Fox’s Empire) and the 13.227 million in total viewers a primetime high for Big 4 entertainment programming since May 9 (13.389 million for CBS’ NCIS). Talent has been the #1 entertainment show of the week on broadcast TV every week it’s aired this summer in both 18-49 and total viewers.

Finishing among the eight top-rated primetime shows on the Big 4 networks last week were: America’s Got Talent, (#1), the NFL Hall of Fame Game, (#2), World of Dance (#6) and American Ninja Warrior, (#8). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

In total viewers, NBC accounted for the week’s three most-watched programs on the broadcast networks: the most-watched Talent, of the season (#1), the "Hall of Fame Game" (#2) and World of Dance (#3).

This is NBC’s seventh straight weekly win in 18-49 and the network has taken six of seven in total viewers.

Counting just entertainment programming, NBC won the week in both adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, marking the 10th straight week NBC has finished as the #1 network in entertainment programming (excluding live news and sports) in 18-49 and 25-54. In total viewers, NBC has won nine of the last ten weeks in entertainment-program ratings.

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 in adults 18-49, with a +19% margin over CBS and Fox, despite Fox’s boosts from the Super Bowl and last fall’s seven-game Cubs-Indians World Series. NBC also ranks #1 or tied for #1 for the season among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults, men and women 25-54; men and women 18-49; adults 18-34 and women 18-34.

Counting only entertainment programs season to date (excluding live news and sports), NBC ranks #1 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49.