NBC Wins the 2014-15 Primetime Television Season in Adults 18-49

With three nights left to count in the traditional season, NBC also ranks No. 1 or tied for No. 1 in men 18-49, adults 18-34 and men 18-34. In total viewers, NBC finishes No. 2 for a second year in a row, the first two times it’s finished higher than No. 4 since 2003-04.

NBC has won the traditional September-to-May 2014-15 primetime television season in adults 18-49, the network’s second consecutive victory in the industry’s key viewer demographic after having gone the prior 10 years without a win.

With three nights left to count in the traditional season, NBC is averaging a 2.4 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49, to top the 2.3/7 of No. 2 CBS, the 2.2/7 of No. 3 ABC and the 1.9/6 of No. 4 Fox.

NBC also ranks No. 1 or tied for No. 1 among the Big 4 broadcast networks for the season in men 18-49, adults 18-34 and men 18-34.

"We feel fortunate to follow our long-awaited victory last year with a second consecutive season-long win," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment. "It’s a testament to the passionate work and phenomenal talent of the entire team at NBCUniversal; the brilliant creators, craftsmen, and stars of our acclaimed programs; everyone who works so tirelessly in our Entertainment, News and Sports divisions; and our enormously supportive leaders at Comcast.

"All of those forces pulled together to produce a lineup of compelling series and event programs, shows that cut through the clutter to deliver the kind unforgettable moments that bring audiences together," Greenblatt added. "That’s been the key to transforming a broadcast network that three years ago had the Super Bowl on its schedule - and yet still landed in last place -- into the network that is still the No. 1 primetime and late-night champion this year."   

In total viewers, NBC will finish the conventional season ranking No. 2 and is currently running within 7 percent of its year-ago Olympics-boosted average (8.6 million vs. 9.3 million). That makes this season and last NBC’s two top-scoring seasons in total viewers since 2006-07. "Most current" total-viewer averages with three days left to count in the season are: CBS, 11.3 million, NBC, 8.6 million; ABC, 8.0 million; Fox, 5.8 million.

It’s the second season in a row NBC has ranked No. 2 in total viewers, marking first two times since 2003-04 that NBC has finished higher than No. 4 in total viewers during a traditional September-to-May season.

In adults 18-49, NBC has now won the fourth quarter three years in a row, the November sweep three years in a row, the February sweep two years in a row and the summer four years in a row.

NBC’s regular lineup is led by The Voice, which remains television’s No. 1 unscripted series in adults 18-49 and other key demographics; NBC Sunday Night Football, the season’s No. 1 primetime series on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and all key adult-male demographics; and The Blacklist, which has improved NBC’s Thursday 9-10 p.m. hour by +160 percent in 18-49 since moving to the time period in February (with a 3.27 rating for Thursday Blacklist originals vs. a prior season average of 1.26 excluding sports, "most current").

NBC has also begun to consistently win the Tuesday and Wednesday 10 p.m. hour among the ABC-CBS-NBC dramas in 18-49 with Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. respectively, while Wednesday’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in its 16th season captured its biggest total-viewer average in four years. On Friday, Grimm has remained the night’s No. 1 scripted series on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and Dateline NBC delivered its second biggest overall audience for a Friday edition in five years.

It was also another highly successful season for NBC specials, including February’s SNL 40, NBC’s top entertainment program, excluding post-Super Bowl shows, in 10 years and the most-watched SNL telecast in 22 years; December’s Peter Pan Live!, which delivered NBC’s second-biggest non-sports Thursday in total viewers in more than five years; January’s Golden Globes, which outrated every Globes telecast from 2008 through 2012; and November’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which delivered the event’s second-most-watched telecast in 13 years; all in addition to NBC Sports coverage of the Feb. 1 Super Bowl, which averaged 114.4 million viewers in L+SD to make it the most-watched telecast in U.S. TV history. 

NBC also dominated the season in late-night, with The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers outdelivering their ABC and CBS time-period competition in every key ratings category. It’s the 19th consecutive season NBC has ranked No. 1 in late-night in adults 18-49.