NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! Wins Wednesday; Up +77% Vs. Wednesday Season Average

With two primetime NFL games, "This Is Us," "Hairspray Live!" and two editions of "The Voice" accounting for six of the week's top nine ratings among Big 4 primetime telecasts in the key adult 18-49 demographic, NBC has dominated the ratings week of Dec. 5-11, winning among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in 18-49, total viewers and every other key ratings measure and growing versus the same week last year in all those categories.

NBC won Wednesday night in 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures (including ties in men 18-49 and men 25-54), scoring as the first network this season to beat FOX in 18-49 on a Wednesday that included an original "Empire."

"Hairspray Live!" (2.3/8 in 18-49, 9.0 million viewers overall from 8-10:54 p.m. ET) jumped +77% versus NBC's Wednesday season average in 18-49 (2.3 vs. 1.3) and +49% versus NBC's Wednesday season average in total viewers (9.0 million vs. 6.1 million). "Hairspray" generated NBC's highest 18-49 average in for an in-season Wednesday in two years (since Nov. 12, 2012, 2.3), and the last time NBC topped "Hairspray's" 2.3 for an in-season Wednesday, excluding Olympics, was Dec. 4, 2013. Versus last year's "The Wiz Live!," "Hairspray" grew by +14% among female teen viewers (with a 3.3 rating versus a 2.9 on Dec. 3, 2015) and +24% in women 18-24 (3.6 vs. 2.9), while matching "Wiz" among teens 12-17 (2.2 vs. 2.2).

"Hairspray Live!" delivered NBC's best Wednesday with entertainment programming among female teens 12-17 (3.3 rating) in 13 years, since May 28, 2003 (3.4 with "Law & Order" and the debut of "Fame"); the network's best Wednesday with entertainment programs among females 18-24 (3.6) in 12 years, since May 5, 2004 (the day before the "Friends" series finale, with "Friends" encores and a two-hour "Friends"-themed "Dateline NBC"); and NBC's best in-season Wednesday night with entertainment shows among teens 12-17 (2.2) in 14 years, since Nov 20, 2002 (2.4 for "Ed," "The West Wing" and "Law & Order"). It was also the best night for any broadcast net (excluding live sports and news) among female teens 12-17 and women 18-24 since ABC's Oscars on Feb. 28. L+3: "Hairspray Live!" grew by +20% in adults 18-49 (from a 2.30 rating to a 2.76) and +1.5 million viewers overall (9.0 million to 10.5 million) going from L+SD to L+3

NBC's +107% margin over #2 FOX (2.9 vs. 1.4) is the network's biggest win for an in-season week excluding Super Bowls and Olympics in the 29-year history of Nielsen's people meter sample, breaking NBC's earlier mark of +86% set two weeks ago. Its total-viewer margin of +37% (10.6 million vs. #2 CBS' 7.8 million) marks NBC's third straight total-viewer win by a double-digit percentage, the first time in 18 years NBC has accomplished such a three-week streak in-season with no help from the Olympics (since a four-week stretch from the weeks of April 20 to May 11, 1998).

NBC's 2.9 rating in 18-49 and 10.6 million viewers overall for the week are the network's highest in-season averages since the week of Nov. 23-29, 2015.

NBC claimed six of the week's top nine ranking among primetime shows on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, with Sunday and Thursday NFL football (#1-2), "This Is Us" (#3), "Hairspray Live!" (tied for #5), Monday's "The Voice" (tied for #7) and Tuesday's "Voice" (#9). Tuesday's "Chicago Fire" finished close behind, tying for #11. Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

"This Is Us" ranked #1 for the week among broadcast entertainment programs in 18-49 and "Hairspray Live!" tied for #3.

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 and every other key demographic.

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

Photo by: Justin Lubin/NBC

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