NBC's THE VOICE Posts Best Numbers Since March 2012

NBC is #1 for the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in 18-49 and total viewers with the best "Voice" results in more than a year.

From 8-10:01 p.m. ET, "The Voice" (5.1 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49, 14.3 million viewers overall) scored the show's best 18-49 and total-viewer numbers for any day of the week since March 12, 2012. Week to week, "The Voice" is up 2 percent in 18-49 rating (5.1 vs. 5.0, and up 4 percent vs. last week's 4.9 in these preliminary fast-affiliate ratings) and up 2 percent in total viewers (14.289 million vs. 14.032 million).

"The Voice" is up 11 percent in 18-49 versus the fourth Monday telecast of the prior cycle (4.6 on October 1, 2012) and up 38 percent versus the same night last year (3.7 on April 16, 2012). In total viewers, the increases are 14 percent versus the prior cycle (14.289 million vs. 12.552 million) and 42 percent versus the same night last year (14.289 million vs. 10.028 million).

From its first half-hour to its fourth, "The Voice" grew by 1.3 rating points or 29 percent in 18-49 (to a 5.8 from a 4.5).

For a second week in a row, "The Voice" topped "Dancing With the Stars" in total viewers (14.3 million vs. 13.4 million), giving "The Voice" the time-period win among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in every key ratings category.

From 10:01-11 p.m. ET, the "NBC News Special" "Terror in Boston" (3.1/8 in adults 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in the time period among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and all other key demographics (pending updates). Note that the special did not run in consistent time periods across the country and is subject to significant revision in official nationals.

In Late-Night Metered Markets Monday night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.7/7 with an Encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.9/8.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.7/3 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/5.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.8/6 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an Encore and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

For the Week:

With "The Voice" ranking #1 and #2 among primetime entertainment telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 for the week of April 8-14, NBC has equaled its highest weeklong 18-49 average in 13 weeks, according to "live plus same day" viewing data from Nielsen Media Research. For the week, NBC averaged a 1.7 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49 and 5.1 million viewers overall.

The 1.7 rating matches NBC's highest 18-49 rating since the week of January 7-13 (2.2).

The Monday and Tuesday editions of "The Voice" ranked #1 and #2 for the week among primetime entertainment telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 (excludes sports programming, including CBS's NCAA basketball coverage), as well as adults 18-34, adults 25-54, women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus teens 12-17 and kids 2-11. Additionally, "The Voice" ranked #1 among non-sports telecast on those nets in men 18-49 and 25-54.

Here are "live plus same day" weekly averages for Week 29...

Week 29 Adults 18-49 vs. Same Week Last Year
Net...Week '11-12... Week '12-13...Diff
NBC...1.7...1.7...Even
CBS...2.1...2.4...Up 14%*
ABC...1.7...1.3...Down 24%
Fox...2.4...1.9...Down 21%

Week 29 Total Viewers vs. Same Week Last Year
Net...Week '11-12... Week '12-13...Diff
NBC...5.294 million ...5.073 million...Down 4%
CBS...9.162 million...10.826 million...Up 18%*
ABC...7.259 million ...5.905 million...Down 19%
Fox...7.532 million ...6.046 million...Down 20%
*CBS's year-ago week did not include coverage of the NCAA Basketball Finals.

NBC is running within 0.2 of a point of its year-ago season average (that included the Super Bowl) in adults 18-49.

Here are "most current" season averages thru 29 weeks...

Season to Date Adults 18-49 vs. Last Year
Net...Season to Date 2011-12... Season to Date 2012-13...Diff
NBC...2.6...2.4...Down 8%
CBS...3.1...3.0...Down 3%
ABC...2.4...2.3...Down 4%
Fox...3.2...2.5...Down 22%

Season to Date Total Viewers vs. Last Year
Net...Season to Date 2011-12... Season to Date 2012-13...Diff
NBC...7.548 million ...7.037 million...Down 7%
CBS...11.939 million...12.144 million...Up 2%
ABC...8.286 million ...7.838 million...Down 5%
Fox...8.945 million ...7.092 million...Down 21%

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated. Season figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Photo by Trae Patton/NBC