NBC 2018-19 Season Ratings Release

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. —Sept. 17, 2019 — NBC has clinched first place for the full September-to-September ratings season in primetime’s key demographic of adults 18-49 for the network’s sixth consecutive #1 finish.

With one week left to count in the traditional season, NBC is averaging a 1.4 rating in adults 18-49, versus a 1.2 for CBS, a 1.2 for Fox and a 1.2 for ABC, according to “most current” averages from Nielsen Media Research through 51 completed weeks of the season. The 52-week season ends on Sunday, Sept. 22.

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, men 18-49 and men 25-54.

In total viewers, excluding sports, NBC is running within 967,000 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 603,000 persons at this time in 2002-03.

For the September-to-September season, NBC not only ranks #1 in viewers 18-49 counting all programs, it also wins counting entertainment programming only, as well as scripted programs only and alternative programs only, and is also #1 in alternative programs in total viewers.

Pacing NBC’s top-ranking regular lineup this season were broadcast television’s #1 most-watched primetime series, “Sunday Night Football”; broadcast television’s #1 drama in 18-49, “This Is Us”; the #1 and #2 new scripted series of the season in 18-49, “Manifest” and “New Amsterdam”; the #1 alternative series in total viewers, “America’s Got Talent: The Champions”; the #1 Friday newsmagazine in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers, “Dateline NBC”; the summer’s #1 most-watched alternative series for a 14th straight year, “America’s Got Talent”; and the summer’s #1-2 new alternative series, “Songland” and “Bring the Funny.”

In the 10:30 lead-in to local news, NBC is a dominant #1 for the season in the key news demographic of adults 25-54, posting a 1.8 rating versus 1.4 ratings each for ABC and CBS.

NBC’s primetime lineup is also in position to win its ninth consecutive summer in adults 18-49 and fifth in a row in total viewers.

2018-19 Primetime Averages thru 51 Weeks, “Most Current”

NBC…1.4      CBS…1.2      FOX…1.2
ABC…1.2      CW…0.4

Total Viewers
CBS…7.4 million      NBC…6.5 million      ABC…5.2 million
FOX…4.5 million      CW…1.2 million