NBC's JIMMY FALLON Wins Late-Night's 1Q in All Key Measures

By: Apr. 02, 2015
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"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" has dominated late-night ratings for the first quarter of 2015, with Fallon out-rating ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" in every key ratings category - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

Fallon averaged a 1.12 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.915 million viewers overall for the quarter. Excluding the year-ago quarter, which featured Fallon's Olympic-boost debut as host, this is "Tonight's" highest-rated first quarter since 2010 (1.28) and most-watched first quarter, excluding 2014, since 2009 (5.322 million).

For the first quarter at 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" topped CBS's "Late Late Show" in every key ratings category and beat ABC's "Nightline" in their head-to-head 12:30-1 a.m. half-hour in every key demographic - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

During the closing week of the first quarter, March 23-27, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" grew +5% week to week in 18-49 (0.44 vs. 0.42 for March 16-20) to outscore CBS's debut week of "Late Late Show with James Corden" (0.38). Note that Corden excluded Thursday and Friday results due to a basketball overrun and Friday's "Late Night" was an encore.

For the week, Meyers outrated Corden on every night in adults 18-49. In weeklong averages, Meyers beat Corden in adults, men and women 18-34; adults, men and women 18-49; and adults and women 25-54.

For the first quarter of 2015, Fallon's 1.12 rating in "most current" adults 18-49 averages gave him a +78% margin over the 0.63 for "Kimmel" and a +115% advantage over the 0.52 for Letterman.

For the first quarter at 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (0.46 in adults 18-49) outrated "Late Late Show" (0.31) by a +48% advantage, and in their head-to-head half-hour from 12:30-1 a.m., Meyers outscored "Nightline" by +24% (0.52 vs. 0.42 for that half-hour).

WEEK 27

Show...18-49...total viewers

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m.
Tonight...0.91/4...3.344 million
Dave *...0.56/3...2.681 million
Kimmel *...0.61/3...2.682 million

12:35-1:05 a.m.
Nightline...0.43/3...1.640 million

12:35-1:35 a.m.
Seth Meyers *...0.44/3.. ...1.422 million
Late Late Show *...0.38/3...1.502 million

1:35 a.m.-2:05 a.m.
Carson Daly *...0.26/2...0.799 million

* Friday's "Kimmel," "Late Night" and "Last Call" were encores. Thursday and Friday CBS programs were delayed by basketball overruns and are excluded from these averages.


FIRST QUARTER 2015 AVERAGES, "MOST CURRENT"

Show...18-49...total viewers

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m.
Tonight...1.12/5...3.915 million
Dave...0.52/2...2.783 million
Kimmel...0.63/3...2.744 million

12:35-1:05 a.m.
Nightline...0.42/3...1.710 million

12:35-1:35 a.m.
Seth Meyers...0.46/3...1.513 million
Late Late Show...0.31/2...1.302 million

1:35 a.m.-2:05 a.m.
Carson Daly ...0.26/2...0.808 million


SEASON AVERAGES

Show...18-49...total viewers

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m.
Tonight...1.16/5...4.011 million
Dave...0.52/2...2.754 million
Kimmel...0.64/3...2.769 million

12:35-1:05 a.m.
Nightline...0.41/2...1.713 million

12:35-1:35 a.m.
Seth Meyers...0.49/3...1.552 million
Late Late Show...0.33/2...1.391 million

1:35 a.m.-2:05 a.m.
Carson Daly ...0.29/2...0.849 million


Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. First-quarter and 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."



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