NBC's Special Edition of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT is #1 for Sunday

NBC won its first Sunday among the Big 4 networks since the Olympics in February in 18-49 and total viewers, led by the #1 show of the night on those nets in both measures, "America's Got Talent."

A special Sunday edition of "America's Got Talent" (2.1/6 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49 and total viewers and the #1 show in its two-hour time period. "Talent" topped ABC's premiere of "Rising Star" by a +40% margin in 18-49 (2.1 vs. 1.5 from 9-11 p.m.) and by +59% in total viewers (8.0 million vs. 5.0 million).

"Talent" scored NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the time period, excluding sports and Golden Globes, since Jan. 6, 2013. In total viewers, it's NBC's top result in the slot, excluding sports and the Golden Globes, since May 22, 2011

An encore telecast of "American Ninja Warrior" (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall from 7-9 p.m. ET) tied for #2 in the time period in 18-49 among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, tying Fox's mostly rebroadcast comedies (0.7 each from 7-9 p.m.) and beating CBS's rebroadcasts (0.4/1), while finishing within 0.3 of ABC's "Wipeout" season premiere.

The "American Ninja Warrior" encore grew by +267% from its first half-hour to its fourth in 18-49 (to a 1.1 rating from a 0.3) and by +87% in total viewers (3.7 million vs. 2.0 million). The "Ninja" growth extended through the show's two hours, with this half-hour track in 18-49 rating: 0.3, 0.4, 0.9, 1.1

By its fourth half-hour, "American Ninja Warrior" was running within a tenth of a rating point of #1 among the Big 4 nets in 18-49 (with a 1.1 rating vs. a 1.2 each for ABC's "Wipeout" season premiere and Fox's "Simpsons" encore" from 8:30-9 p.m.).

NOTE: All national ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.