NBC Late Night Outperforms ABC, CBS Competition

NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" have delivered decisive wins for the late-night ratings week of Oct. 28-Nov. 1.

Both programs outperformed the ABC and CBS competition in their respective time periods while generating gains Versus the same week last year. Note that Friday's "Kimmel" was an encore.

Versus the same week last year, Leno grew by 11% in 18-49 viewers (to 1.080 million from 971,000) and by 6% in total viewers (3.631 million vs. 3.426 million). Fallon increased by 3% in 18-49 viewers (738,000 vs. 718,000) and 8% in total viewers (1.959 million vs. 1.819 million).

Fallon generated a 10-month high in total viewers with 1.959 million, his biggest overall audience since last year when he averaged 2.029 million from Dec. 17-21 - the week of "The Voice" finale.

"Tonight" delivered bigger audiences than CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" for the week in every key category - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers. Fallon topped CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and ABC's "Nightline" in each of those measures as well.

Season to date, Leno is off to his biggest start six weeks into a new TV season in three years in 18-49 viewers and total viewers. Fallon is at a four-year high in 18-49 and has generated his biggest overall audience six weeks into a new season in the five years he's been hosting "Late Night."

Versus the first six weeks of the year-ago season, Leno is up 13% in 18-49 viewers (with 1.107 million vs. 981,000) and up 9% in total viewers (3.635 million vs. 3.341 million). Fallon is up 24% in 18-49 viewers (784,000 vs. 634,000) so far this season and up 17% in total viewers (1.882 million vs. 1.602 million).

At 1:35 a.m. ET, "Last Call with Carson Daly" is also delivering sizable gains Versus the first six weeks of last season - up 20% in 18-49 viewers (432,000 vs. 359,000) and 12% in total viewers (957,000 vs. 858,000).

"Tonight" has now delivered bigger 18-49 audiences than "Late Show" for the last 50 weeks in a row and topped "Kimmel" for 39 of their 43 head-to-head weeks. In total viewers, Leno has out-delivered "Late Show" for 54 weeks in a row and "Kimmel" for 43 of 43 weeks.

Fallon has now generated bigger 18-49 audiences than "Late Late Show" for 55 of the last 56 weeks and prevailed in total viewers for 52 of the last 54 weeks. Versus "Nightline" in their head-to-head half-hour, Fallon has out-delivered the ABC series for 43 of 43 weeks in viewers 18-49 and 38 of 40 weeks in total viewers.

WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of Oct. 28-Nov. 1. 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," 0.9 rating, 4 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.6/2
ABC "Kimmel," 0.7/3 *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.4/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.6/3
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.3/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.3/2 *

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 3.6 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 2.8 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.5 million viewers *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.5 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 2.0 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.4 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 1.0 million viewers *

* Friday's "Last Call" and "Kimmel" were encores.

SEASON TO DATE

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 0.9 rating, 4 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.6/3
ABC "Kimmel," 0.7/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.4/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.6/4
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.4/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.3/3

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 3.6 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 3.0 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.6 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.6 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.9 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.5 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 1.0 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF OCT. 28-NOV. 1

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, "The Daily Show," 0.6
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 0.5

Comedy Central, midnight-12:30 a.m. ET, "@Midnight." 0.3

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.4

TBS, Midnight-12:30 a.m., "Pete Holmes," 0.2

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.0
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.7

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

TOTAL VIEWERS

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. "The Daily Show," 1.5 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 1.2 million

Comedy Central, midnight-12:30 a.m. ET, "@Midnight," 0.6 million

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.9 million

TBS, Midnight-12:30 a.m., "Pete Holmes," 0.5 million

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.9 million viewers
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.3 million viewers

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