Preliminary Ratings: Thursday 03/22/2018

The much anticipated series premiere of the GREY'S ANATOMY pin-off drama, STATION 19, got off to a soft start on Thursday night. The two hour event drew just 5.4 million viewers and posted a 1.2 rating in Adults 18-49. Retention out of GREY'S was just 72% in total viewers and 63% in the A18-49 demographic. The new series also lost to CHICAGO FIRE, on NBC, in total viewers and Adults 25-54.

The Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament tipped off on Thursday and CBS averaged 8.1 million viewers and a 2.4 rating in the A18-49 demo, sweeping the night in the ratings. That is currently above last year's comparable night, but being a live event, the numbers will change when final numbers are released.

NBC was third on the night, with a two hour CHICAGO FIRE topping STATION 19, in head to head competition.

FOX was a distant fourth place, with GOTHAM and SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO drawing minimal amount of viewers.

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

	Total viewers	A18-34	A18-49	A25-54
ABC	6.10 million	1.0	1.4	1.7
CBS	8.10 million	1.8	2.4	2.8
CW	0.80 million	0.2	0.3	0.3
FOX	2.40 million	0.4	0.7	0.9
NBC	5.70 million	0.6	1.1	1.5
UNI	1.60 million	--	0.5	--
TEL	1.20 million	--	0.4	--

Time	Net	Program	P2*	A18-34	A18-49	A25-54
8:00	ABC	Grey's Anatomy	7.50	1.3	1.9	2.2
9:00	ABC	Station 19 (SP)	5.40	0.9	1.2	1.4
8:00	CBS	NCAA Tournament	7.70	1.6	2.2	2.6
9:00	CBS	NCAA Tournament	8.50	1.9	2.5	3.0
10:00	CBS	NCAA Tournament	8.00	1.9	2.6	2.9
8:00	CW	Supernatural [R]	1.00	0.2	0.3	0.4
9:00	CW	Arrow [R]	0.60	0.1	0.2	0.2
8:00	FOX	Gotham	2.40	0.5	0.7	0.9
9:00	FOX	Showtime at the Apollo	2.40	0.3	0.6	0.8
8:00	NBC	Superstore	3.90	0.5	1.1	1.4
8:30	NBC	AP Bio	2.90	0.4	0.7	1.0
9:00	NBC	Chicago Fire	6.80	0.7	1.2	1.7

* - viewers in millions