NBC Ties for Second in Primetime in Adults 18-49, Week of 7/14

NBC has tied for #2 for the Primetime week of July 14-20 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, losing only to Fox, which broadcast the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Excluding sports, NBC and CBS would have tied #1 for the week among the Big 4 networks.

The second-place finish is the first time in nine weeks that NBC wasn't #1 or tied for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX since the close of the traditional season in May, excluding ABC during its two weeks covering the NBA Finals. According to "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, NBC averaged a 1.1 rating, 4 share in adults 18-49 and 4.5 million viewers overall for the week.

Finishing among the week's top 30 Primetime programs on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX were NBC's "America's Got Talent" recap episode on Tuesday (#5), Monday's "American Ninja Warrior" (tied for #8), a Wednesday "Talent" encore (tied for #18), Friday's "Dateline NBC" (tied for 20) and Thursday's "Hollywood Game Night," Thursday's "Last Comic Standing" and Tuesday's "The Night Shift" (all tied for #22).

In live + same day viewing, the five regular original telecasts of "Talent" so far this summer have generated the top five 18-49 and total-viewer results among all entertainment broadcasts on the Big 4 networks since the end of the May sweep.

Through 43 weeks of the 2013-14 broadcast year, NBC ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, adults 18-34 (tied with Fox), men 18-49 (tied with Fox), men 25-54 and all key adult-female demos. It's the first time NBC has ranked #1 in adults 18-49 at this point in the season in 10 years (since the 2003-04 season).

NBC's 2.5 rating in adults 18-49 is the network's top average at this point in the season in four years (since a 2.5 in 2009-10).

Versus one year ago, NBC is up +14% for the broadcast year to date in adults 18-49 (2.5 vs. 2.2), while the other Big 4 networks are all down year to year.

In total viewers, NBC ranks #2 for the broadcast year with an average of 8.5 million viewers, which is its biggest overall audience 43 weeks into the season in eight years (since 2005-06, 9.1 million). Versus one year ago, NBC is up +26% season to date in total viewers (8.5 million vs. 6.8 million). It's the first time NBC has ranked #2 in total viewers at this point in the season in 10 years.

Primetime averages for the week of July 14-20 in adults 18-49 are: Fox, 1.4/5; NBC, 1.1/4; CBS, 1.1/4; ABC, 0.9/3; and CW, 0.2/1. In overall total viewers, the weekly averages were: CBS, 5.4 million; Fox, 4.5 million; NBC, 4.5 million; ABC, 4.1 million; and CW, 0.7 million.

Season-to-date averages are: NBC, 2.5/8; Fox, 2.2/7; CBS, 2.1/7; ABC, 2.0/6; and CW, 0.7/2. In overall total viewers, the season averages are: CBS, 9.8 million; NBC, 8.6 million; ABC, 7.2 million; Fox, 6.7 million; and CW, 1.8 million.

NBC highlights for the week of July 14-20:

Monday: An encore telecast of "Last Comic Standing" averaged a 0.7 rating, 2 share in adults 18-49 and 2.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.

"American Ninja Warrior" (1.7/5 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) equaled its highest 18-49 rating since June 2 (1.9) and set a season high in total viewers for a regular telecast (best since a special "USA vs. Japan" edition on Jan. 13, 5.5 million). "Ninja" tied for #1 for its fourth and final half-hour among ABC, CBS and NBC in 18-49 with CBS's "Under the Dome" (with a 1.8 rating from 10:30-11 p.m. each). For its second hour from 10-11 p.m., "Ninja" ranked #2 among those nets in adults 18-49, within a tenth of a rating points of "Dome" (with a 1.8 from 10-11 p.m. vs. a 1.9 for "Dome"). For that 10-11 p.m. hour, "Ninja" ranked #1 among those nets in adults, men and women 18-34.

Tuesday: Up against Fox's live broadcast of the Major League All-Star Game, NBC was easily the No. 2 network for the night. The two-hour "America's Got Talent" recap episode (2.0 in 18-49, 8.531 million viewers) was the #2 show on the night and No. 1 among W18-49 and second in total viewers. "America's Got Talent" more than doubled all of the other competition on both ABC or CBS. The episode was also up +0.2 from the two "AGT" repeats in the time-period this season

The season finale of "The Night Shift" (1.1 in 18-49, 6.049 million viewers) was #1 in the 10 p.m. timeslot versus ABC and CBS in the 18-49 demo and total viewers. TIED ABC IN 18-49 RTG.

Wednesday: NBC was No. 2 in the 18-49 for the night. An encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" (1.3/5 in 18-49, 5.9 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) was just .1 below CBS' "Extant" in the second hour. "Talent" grew in every half in total viewers and in the 18-49, except for the last half-hour when it was flat.

"Taxi Brooklyn" (0.8/3) grew in total viewers from a week ago (4.8 million vs. 4.6 million). In the 10 p.m. hour, the series was #2 in the demo and total viewers. It tied for #1 in the women 18-34 demo.

Thursday: At 8-9 p.m., "Hollywood Game Night" (1.1/4 in the 18-49 demo, 3.82 million viewers) grew .2 (19%) over last week's 0.9 episode and matched its highest rating in the demo since May 29 (1.2). The show grew in the second half-hour in the demo.

The second episode of 9 p.m. comedy "Welcome to Sweden" (0.8/3, 2.79 million viewers) fell just .1 from last week's debut while "Working the Engels" registered an 0.6/2, 2.01 million viewers.

"Last Comic Standing" ranked #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the time period in adults 18-49 with a 1.1/4, which was up .1 from last week's telecast. "Last Comic" finished #1 in The Hour for an ninth straight telecast versus all competition on those nets, excluding the NBA Finals. "Last Comic" grew half-hour to half-hour by .2 in the demo.

Friday: "Dateline NBC" (1.2/5 in 18-49, 6.1 million viewers overall) won the 8-10 p.m. timeslot and grew from last week's 1.1 to a 1.2. "Dateline NBC" was #1 in the time period among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key demographics.

"Crossbones (0.5/2 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall) was flat from a week ago. Also of note, "Crossbones" has been increasing by an average of 40% in adults 18-49 in L+7 time-shifting.

Saturday: NBC ranked #1 in Primetime Saturday night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers with the #1 Primetime show of the night on those nets in all three categories, "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery"(0.8/4 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET), which ranked #1 in its two-hour time period on those nets in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures.

A rebroadcast of "The Blacklist" (0.4/2 in 18-49, 2.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET.) was flat versus the prior week's encore in the slot.

Sunday: An encore telecast of "American Ninja Warrior" (0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.1 million viewers overall from 7-9 p.m. ET) increased 50% in the demo (0.9 vs. 0.6) and 30% in total viewers (3.1 million vs. 2.3 million) from a week ago. "American Ninja Warrior" grew in in the demo in each half-hour (0.6, 0.7, 1.0, 1.1) and in total viewers in its last three half-hours.

At 9-10 p.m. ET, an encore of "Law & Order: SVU" garnered a 0.7/2 and 2.64 million viewers overall. At 10-11 p.m., an encore of "Chicago P.D." drew a 0.6/2 and 2.81 million viewers overall.

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