NBC's Hit Drama THIS IS US Grows to Season High in Total Viewers

By: Nov. 30, 2016
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NBC wins the night among the Big 4 in every key measure, led by the #1 show of the night in adults 18-49, "This Is Us," and the top two shows of the night in total viewers, "The Voice" and "This Is Us."

"This Is Us" (2.7/9 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET): Jumps +13% week to week (2.7 vs. 2.4) to its high since Oct. 11 and sets a new series high in total viewers (10.6 million), with a +17% increase week to week (10.561 million vs. 9.000 million).

For a seventh straight telecast, ranks as the #1 entertainment show of the night in 18-49 on the Big 4, while also virtually tying "The Voice" as the #1 show of the night in total viewers.

For a sixth straight time, builds on an original "Voice" lead-in in 18-49.

Remains the only scripted show ever to build on an original "Voice" lead-in.

With its first nine episodes, has now delivered the nine highest ratings among all telecasts from this season's 11 first-year dramas on the Big 4 networks (L+SD).

Wins the slot among the Big 4 nets in every key measure.

Will add substantial viewership via time-shifting and VOD:

So far this season, "This Is Us" is growing by +76% in 18-49 rating (from a 2.59 to a 4.56) and +5.0 million viewers overall (9.3 million to 14.3 million) going from L+SD to L+7).

The most recent L+7 results lifted "Us" ahead of that week's "Empire" as the top broadcast drama of the Nov. 14-20 week (4.65 vs. 4.64 in L+7 -- in L+SD it was 2.56 vs. 3.11).

For the season, the average L+7 lift of +1.97 for "Us" is the biggest average gain for any broadcast series, as it moves ahead of "Big Bang Theory" (+1.96) and "Designated Survivor" (+1.95).

Upscale: "This Is Us" is delivering a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 139 among adults 18-49 living in $100K+ homes

"Chicago Fire" (1.7/6 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET): Grows +13% week to week in 18-49 (1.7 vs. 1.5) to its highest rating since the show's season premiere (1.8 on Oct. 11).

Scores the highest rating for any telecast of any 10 p.m. broadcast drama in seven weeks, a span covering 81 telecasts (since its own 1.8 with the "Fire" season premiere on Oct. 11, L+SD).

Is very close to rounding up to a 1.8 (currently reporting a 1.74 in these prelim fast-affiliate ratings).

Sets a season high in total viewers, up week to week by +24% (8.015 million vs. 6.476 million).

Wins the hour among the ABC-CBS-NBC dramas (including a CBS encore) in every key measure.

Will add substantial viewership via time-shifting and VOD - so far this season, "Chicago Fire" has grown by +62% in 18-49 rating (from a 1.61 to a 2.61) and more than +3.6 million viewers overall (7.1 million to 10.8 million) going from L+SD to L+7

"The Voice" (1.9/7 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET): Versus CBS' telecast of "Rudolph," jumps +19% versus the comparable Tuesday telecast of the prior cycle in 18-49 (1.9 vs. 1.6 on May 3) and +23% in total viewers (10.604 million vs. 8.596 million).

Grows +6% week to week in 18-49 (1.9 vs. 1.8) despite the high-rated "Rudolph" competition.
Increases +12% in total viewers (10.604 million vs. 9.484 million), to generate its most-watched Tuesday episode since Oct. 11 (10.9 million) to rank as the #1 show of the night in total viewers.

Outdelivers "Rudolph" to win the slot in total viewers (10.6 million vs. 9.452 million).

Will add substantial viewership via time-shifting and VOD - so far this season, Tuesday's "Voice" has increased by +26% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 2.83 to a 3.56) and +2.2 million viewers overall (11.2 million to 13.4 million).

Upscale: Tuesday's "Voice" is generating a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 111 among adults 18-49 living in $100K+ homes.

In Late-Night Metered Markets Tuesday Night: In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.8/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/3 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.4/5 in metered-market households with an encore; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.0/3 with an encore. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.5/4 in 18-49 with an encore; "Late Late Show," 0.2/1 with an encore.

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

For the Week: With two primetime NFL games, "This Is Us" and "The Voice" delivering four of the week's top six ratings among Big 4 primetime telecasts in the key adult 18-49 demographic, NBC has dominated the ratings week of Nov. 21-27, winning among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in 18-49, total viewers and every other key ratings measure.

With a 2.6 rating, NBC matched its top-rated in-season week in 18-49 in the past year (since Nov. 23-29, 2015, 3.2) and delivered its most-watched in-season week since Jan. 11-17 (9.6 million).

NBC's +86% margin over #2 CBS (2.6 vs. 1.4) is the network's biggest for an in-season week excluding Super Bowls and Olympics in the 29-year history of Nielsen's people meter sample. Its total-viewer margin of +17% (9.3 million vs. #2 CBS' 7.9 million) is the network's best in season in the past year (since Nov. 23-29, 2015, +20%).

Joining Thursday and Sunday NFL football (#1-2), "This Is Us" (#4) and Monday's "The Voice" (#6) among the week's top 30 primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 were Tuesday's "Voice" (tied for #10), Wednesday's "Saturday Night Live" Thanksgiving special (tied for #13), Tuesday's "Chicago Fire" (tied for #15), Friday's 50th anniversary telecast of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (tied for #25) and Monday's "Timeless" (tied for #25).

Thursday's primetime Steelers-Colts NFL telecast and Sunday's prime Chiefs-Broncos coverage ranked #1-2 for the week among primetime broadcast programs in every key ratings measure - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers - and the Thursday game also ranked #1 among teens 12-17 and kids 2-11.

NBC ranked #1 for six of the week's seven nights among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 and every other key demographic (including a tie in men 18-34 with World Series-boosted Fox).

Counting only entertainment programs season to date (excluding live news and sports), NBC ranks #1 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and is #1 or tied for #1 in adults 25-54, adults 18-34 and every key adult-female demo.



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