NBC's TONIGHT SHOW Scores Highest 18-49 & Total Viewers

By: Feb. 26, 2015
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"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" has celebrated its one-year anniversary with the show's highest weeklong adult 18-49 and total-viewers results in nearly 11 months.

For the week of Feb. 16-20, "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" averaged a 1.30 rating in 18-49 and 4.233 million viewers overall, best for the show since it earned a 1.33 and 4.306 million viewers the week of March 24-28, 2014. In 18-49, "Tonight's" 1.30 rating last week beat the combined 1.20 of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (0.65) and CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" (0.55).

Fallon outdelivered "Kimmel" and "Late Show" in all key ratings measures - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers. Note that Friday's "Kimmel" was an encore and Monday's "Tonight" was excluded due to the Presidents Day holiday.

Fallon took over "Tonight" hosting duties on Monday, Feb. 17. 2014 and celebrated his first anniversary on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 with guests Taylor Swift, John Oliver and Imagine Dragons. That edition earned a 1.39 rating in adults 18-49, up +31% versus the 1.06 for the prior Tuesday.

"Tonight" rated even higher on Friday, the night NBC rebroadcast the "SNL 40" special in primetime. With guests Kevin Bacon, Amy Sedaris and Nick Jonas, the Friday "Tonight" earned a 1.51, equaling the shows' best rating for a regularly scheduled telecast since Thursday, May 22, 2014 (with Will Ferrell and lookalike Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, 1.52).

At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" scored a 0.56 rating in 18-49, good enough to top CBS's Letterman (0.55) despite starting an hour later. In the 12:35 a.m. hour, Meyers beat CBS's "Late Late Show" in all key measures. In their common 12:30-1 a.m. half-hour, Meyers also outrated ABC's "Nightline" in every key ratings category.

At 1:35 a.m. ET, "Last Call with Carson Daly" matched its 10-week high in adults 18-49 (0.32, equaling its best since Dec. 8-12, 2014, 0.34) and delivered its top total-viewer average (915,000) since that same week (937,000 for Dec. 8-12). Last week's "Last Call" outrated CBS's "Late Late Show" in 18-49 (0.31) despite starting an hour later.

WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of Feb. 16-20. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day.")

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight" 1.30 rating, 6 share *
CBS "Late Show," 0.55/3
ABC "Kimmel," 0.65/3 *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.40/2 *

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.56/4 *
CBS "The Late Late Show," 0.31/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.32/3 *

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 4.233 million viewers *
CBS "Late Show," 2.809 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.784 million viewers *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.734 million viewers *

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.682 million viewers *
CBS "The Late Late Show," 1.237 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.915 million viewers *

* Monday's NBC shows and "Nightline" are excluded due to the Presidents Day holiday. Friday's "Kimmel," "Late Night" and "Last Call were encores.

SEASON AVERAGES

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 1.17 rating, 6 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.51/2
ABC "Kimmel," 0.63/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.41/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.50/3
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.33/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.29/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 4.042 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 2.759 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.743 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.704 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.559 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.410 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.857 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK FEB. 16-20

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, "The Daily Show," 0.30 (R)
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Nightly Show," 0.19 (R)

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.41 **

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.95
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.69

Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.27 million viewers.

TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. "The Daily Show," 0.691 million (R)
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Nightly Show," 0.412 million (R)

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.852 million **

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 2.039 million viewers
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.535 million viewers

** Monday's "Conan" was an encore.



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