NBC Weekly Ratings Release: August 19 - 25, 2019

NBC has won the primetime ratings week of Aug. 19-25 in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers, according to “live plus same day” viewership figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Tuesday’s “America’s Got Talent” was the week’s #1 primetime telecast on the Big 4 networks in both 18-49 and total viewers, while the Tuesday and Wednesday editions combined to rank #1-2 for the week in total viewers for a second week in a row. Sunday’s Steelers-Titans NFL Preseason telecast joined “AGT” to give NBC three of the week’s four most watched programs.

It’s the seventh time in nine weeks NBC has earned at least a share of the 18-49 lead and 10th week in a row NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 in total viewers. NBC’s 4.0 million viewers for the week is the highest for any network in eight weeks, since NBC delivered 4.9 million for the week of June 24-30. The 0.8 in 18-49 equals the high for any net since NBC scored a 0.9 that same June 24-30 week.

“Talent” continued its streak this summer of ranking as television’s #1 most-watched entertainment show every week it’s aired.

In 18-49, NBC telecasts ranking in the top 20 among primetime shows on the Big 4 networks were the Tuesday and Wednesday “AGT” editions (#1 and tied for #7 respectively), Sunday’s NFL game (#2), Monday’s “American Ninja Warrior” (tied for #7) and Tuesday’s “Bring the Funny” and Wednesday’s “Songland” (tied for #14).

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34 and is #1 or tied for #1 in all key adult-female demos and men 25-54. In total viewers, excluding sports, NBC is running within 1.058 million persons of #1 CBS, NBC’s closest position to #1 in total viewers at this point in the season, excluding sports, in 16 years, since trailing by 608,000 persons at this time in 2002-03.

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 48 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating
NBC…0.8    ABC…0.6    CBS…0.5
FOX…0.5    CW…0.1

Total Viewers
NBC…4.0 million    CBS…3.4 million    ABC…2.8 million
FOX…1.8 million    CW…0.7 million

NBC highlights for the week of Aug. 19-25:

Monday
“American Ninja Warrior” (0.8 rating in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) tied as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in men 18-49 and men 25-54. L+35+Digital: After 35 days of digital and linear delayed viewing plus encores, “American Ninja Warrior” has been growing this summer by +142% in adults 18-49 and +5.3 million viewers overall versus its next-day “live plus same day” Nielsens, to a 2.17 rating in 18-49 and 9.9 million viewers overall in L+35+digital including encores.

“Dateline NBC” (0.5 rating in adults 18-49, 0.7 in adults 25-54, 3.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) won the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-48, adults 25-54 and total viewers. It’s the 10th week in a row Monday’s “Dateline” has ranked #1 or tied for #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49.

Tuesday
NBC ranked #1 Tuesday night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and every other key measure (including a tie in women 18-34).

“America’s Got Talent” (1.6 rating in 18-49, 9.4 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) grew +14% week to week in 18-49 (1.6 vs. 1.4) and +4% in total viewers (9.4 million vs. 9.1 million), outrating “Bachelor in Paradise” in the timeslot by +45% in 18-49 (1.6 vs. 1.1 from 8-10) and +5.3 million persons or +129% in total viewers (9.4 million vs. 4.1 million), stretching its timeslot lead over “Bachelor in Paradise” to +45% from the week-ago +17% (1.4 vs. 1.2). “AGT” scored its 18-49 high since July 23 (1.7). L+35+Digital: “America’s Got Talent” is growing by +145% versus its next-day “live plus same day” Nielsens after 35 days of digital and linear delayed viewing and encores, increasing all the way to a 3.93 rating, while adding +8.7 million viewers, growing to 18.6 million persons in L+35+Digital including encores. Digital & Social: “America’s Got Talent” has amassed 2.21 billion views across all digital video platforms so far this summer. With 431.8 million combined total views across Facebook, Twitter & YouTube, Kodi Lee’s Golden Buzzer performance is the show’s most viewed video clip this season. “Talent” is the #1 most-social Broadcast Series of the year (30.2 million Total Interactions to-date in Linear metrics, Source: Nielsen Social SCR, 1/1/19-8/18/19. Linear Metrics. Broadcast Series only. All dayparts. Excludes News & Sports).

“Bring the Funny” (0.7 rating in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) equaled the night’s ABC-CBS timeslot competition combined in adults 18-49 (0.7 vs. a combined 0.7) and ranked #1 in the hour in nine of nine key demographics. – adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. Week to week, “BTF” maintained 100% in 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.7) and grew +6% in total viewers (3.7 million vs. 3.4 million). L+7+Digital: “Bring the Funny” is increasing by +70% versus its next-day “live plus same day” Nielsens after seven days of digital and linear delayed viewing plus encores, growing to a 1.54 rating, while adding +2.4 million viewers, growing to 7.0 million persons in L+7+Digital including encores.

Wednesday
NBC finished #1 Wednesday night in adults 25-54 (tie) and total viewers.

“America’s Got Talent” (1.1 rating in 18-49, 8.1 million viewers overall from 8-9:01 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers. beating “Big Brother” in the timeslot in total viewers by a margin of +80% or +3.6 million persons (8.1 million vs. 4.5 million). Week to week, “Talent” was up +3% in total viewers (8.1 million vs. 7.9 million) to give NBC it’s top total-viewer results in the hour since “The Billboard Music Awards” on May 1 (8.139 million from 8-9 p.m.).

“Songland” (0.7 rating in 18-49, 3.4 million viewers overall from 9:01-10 p.m. ET) ranked #1 in the timeslot networks in total viewers and adults 25-54, outdelivers “BH90201” in the hour by +1.2 million persons or +57% in total viewers (3.4 million vs. 2.2 million). Week to week, “Songland” grew by +5% in total viewers (3.443 million vs. 3.280 million).

“Songland” was also up +17% versus NBC’s timeslot average this summer prior to “Songland” (0.7 vs. 0.6, L+SD excluding sports) and +21% in total viewers (3.4 million vs. 2.8 million). Old Dominion’s new song “Young” from the Aug. 21 “Songland” ranked #3 on the iTunes Country Chart during its first day of release. L+35+Digital: After 35 days of digital and linear delayed viewing plus encores, “Songland” has been more than doubling this summer, growing by +103% in adults 18-49 versus its next-day “live plus same day” Nielsens, to a 1.86 rating in 18-49. In total viewers, “Songland” is increasing by +3.2 million persons to 7.6 million viewers in L+35+digital including encores.

“Hollywood Game Night” (0.4 rating in 18-49, 1.9 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tied for #1 in the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and ranks #1 or tied for #1 among those nets in adults, men and women 18-34; men and women 18-49; and men 25-54.

Thursday
An encore telecast of “The Wall” (0.5 rating in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) topped ABC’s original competition of “Holey Moley” in total viewers (2.7 million vs. 2.6 million), and maintained 100% of the prior week’s encore in this timeslot in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.5).

A rebroadcast of “Ellen’s Game of Games” (0.5 rating in 18-49, 2.4 viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) outscored ABC’s original “Holey Moley” season finale in the timeslot in total viewers (2.4 million vs. 2.1 million) and tied it in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.5), while equaling NBC’s highest 18-49 rating in the timeslot, excluding live events, since April 4 (0.6). An encore telecast of “Law & Order: SVU” (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tied for #1 among non-sports programs in the time period in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, and was the hour’s #1 entertainment show outright in women 18-49. The “SVU” rebroadcast beat ABC’s original competition of “Reef Break” in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and nearly every other key ratings measure.

Friday
NBC tied as the top non-sports network Friday night in adults 18-49.

An encore telecast of “American Ninja Warrior” (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.0 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) maintained 100% versus the prior week’s rebroadcast in this timeslot in 18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.4) and grew +7% in total viewers (2.0 million vs. 1.9 million).

A rebroadcast of “Dateline NBC” (0.5 rating in 18-49, 0.7 in adults 25-54, 2.8 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) finished as the #1 non-sports show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers. Week to week, “Dateline” was up +3% in total viewers (2.8 million vs. 2.7 million). L+7:Through the traditional September-to-May season, Friday’s “Dateline” grew by +51% in 18-49 rating (from a 0.57 to a 0.86) and more than +1.2 million viewers overall (3.5 million to 4.7 million) going from L+SD to L+7.

Sunday
NBC Sports coverage of an NFL preseason game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Tennessee Titans (1.5 rating in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall from 8:08-11:01 p.m. ET) dominated the night, leading NBC to the top 18-49 and total-viewer Sunday primetime averages for any broadcast network since June 16, when Fox carried primetime coverage of golf’s U.S. Open.