NBC Rules The July 23-29 Week With TALENT, Two WORLD OF DANCE Episodes, and NINJA All Ranking In Top Ten

NBC has claimed the primetime ratings week of July 23-29 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and total viewers, led by top-10 ratings from "America's Got Talent," two "World of Dance" episodes and "American Ninja Warrior," according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

It's the seventh week in a row NBC has ranked #1 or tied for #1 in 18-49 and the network's fourth weeklong win in a row in total viewers.

"Talent" once again finished #1 for the week in 18-49, total viewers and most other key measures and was joined among top-10 primetime programs on the Big 4 networks by Tuesday's "World of Dance" (#6) and Monday's "American Ninja Warrior" and Wednesday's "World of Dance" (tied for #7).

The broad-based hit "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 for the week in total viewers over all primetime programs on broadcast and cable by a margin of +4.6 million viewers (11.7 million vs. 7.1 million for CBS' #2 encore of "60 Minutes"). It ranks as the most-watched show on television in the last five weeks (since the June 19 "Talent," 11.9 million). In 18-49, "Talent" finished #1 by a +33% margin over CBS' #2 "Big Brother" (2.0 vs. 1.5). "Talent" also ranked #1 for the week on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-34, adults 18-49, adults 25-54, adults 50-and-older, teens 12-17 and kids 2-11.

In addition to NBC's weeklong win in adults 18-49, the network ranked #1 or tied for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in men and women 18-49; adults, men and women 25-54; and adults and women 18-34.

In adults 18-49, NBC is dominating the current primetime season, with leads over #2 ABC and CBS of +0.5 of a rating point or +36% (1.9 vs. 1.4 each). The +36% advantage ties as the best for any #1 network at this point in the season in the history of Nielsen's current people-meter sample, which dates back to the fall of 1987.

Season to date, NBC also ranks #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in every other key demographic - adults, men and women 18-34; men and women 18-49; and adults, men and women 25-54. In total viewers, NBC is running within 103,000 persons of #1, NBC's most competitive position at this point in the season in 16 years, since 2001-02. Even excluding all sports, NBC is running closer to CBS at this point in the season in total viewers than it's been in 15 years, since 2003-04 (currently within 1.330 million total viewers of CBS excluding sports, best since the gap was 564,000 in 2002-03).

Counting entertainment programming only, NBC ranks #1 or tied for #1 for the season in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, men 18-49, women 18-49 and women 25-54.

Weekly ratings are "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date ratings are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Week 44 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," July 23-29

NBC...0.8

ABC...0.6

CBS...0.6

Fox...0.6

CW...0.2

Total Viewers

NBC...4.3 million

CBS...3.8 million

ABC...3.1 million

Fox...2.1 million

CW...0.9 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

NBC...1.9

ABC...1.4

CBS...1.4

Fox...1.3

CW...0.5

Total Viewers

CBS...8.1 million

NBC...8.0 million

ABC...5.8 million

Fox...4.4 million

CW...1.6 million

NBC highlights for the week of July 23-29:

Monday

"American Ninja Warrior" (1.0 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m.) held steady in 18-49 versus the prior two-week timeslot average. It ranked as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and total viewers.

"Live Plus Three Day" Ratings: "Ninja" increased by +17% in 18-49 (from 1.03 rating to a 1.20) and +574,000 viewers overall (5.1 million to 5.7 million) going from "live plus same day" Nielsens to L+3.

Upscale: "Ninja" is delivering a solid upscale audience, generating a 119 index among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes, according to "most current" Nielsens, including L+3).

"Dateline NBC" (0.8 in 18-49, 1.2 in 25-54, 4.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m.) grew +4% versus the prior two-week average in 18-49 and was the highest-rated and most-watched show on ABC, CBS or NBC in the 10 p.m. hour.L+3: "Dateline" increased by +18% in 18-49 going from L+SD to L+3 (0.83 to 0.98) and +897,000 viewers overall (4.6 million to 5.5 million). Upscale: Monday's "Dateline" generates a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 119 among adult 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes).

Tuesday

NBC dominated the night and finished #1 in the 18-49 demo, total viewers and all other key measures.

"America's Got Talent" (2.0 in 18-49, 11.7 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) was the #1 show of the night and improved +4% in total viewers (11.7 million vs. 11.3 million) from a week ago. L+3: "Talent" increased by +27% in 18-49 (2.03 to 2.57) and +2.1 million viewers overall (11.7 million to 13.8 million) going from L+SD to L+3, for the biggest L+3 lifts of the night in 18-49 rating and total viewers. Upscale: "Talent" is generating a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 112 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

"World of Dance" (1.2 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) dominated the ABC and CBS competition in the hour in 18-49 and total viewers.L+3: "World" grew by +32% in 18-49 (1.20 to 1.58) and +1.3 million viewers overall (5.6 million vs. 6.9 million) going from L+SD to L+3, for the biggest lift of the night on the Big 4 in 18-49 percentage.

Wednesday

The Wednesday premiere of "World of Dance" (1.0 in 18-49, 4.9 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) saw an increase of +22% from its first half-hour to its fourth in 18-49 (0.9 to 1.1). "World of Dance" scored NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the timeslot, excluding "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular," since the June 13 two-hour edition of "American Ninja Warrior" (1.1). World of Dance" also won its second hour from 8-9 p.m. in both 18-49 and total viewers. L+3: "World" increased by +30% going from L+SD to L+3 in 18-49 (1.02 to 1.33) and +1.1 million viewers overall (4.9 million vs. 6.0 million).

"Reverie" (0.4 in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) has held steady at 0.4 for four straight weeks. Tuesday's total-viewer results grew +24% from the previous week (2.1 million vs. 1.7 million). L+3: "Reverie" grew by +26% in 18-49 (0.42 to 0.53) and +697,000 viewers overall (2.1 million to 2.8 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens. Upscale: "Reverie" is delivering a solid upscale audience, indexing at a 105 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

Thursday

An encore of "Ellen's Game of Games" averaged a 0.6 in 18-49 and 3.4 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET.

Back-to-back episodes of "Trial & Error: Lady, Killer" delivered a 0.4 in 18-49 and 2.1 million viewers from 9-9:30 p.m. ET; and a 0.4 in 18-49 and 1.8 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET. L+3: The 9 p.m. "Trial & Error" grew by +30% in 18-49 going from L+SD to L+3 (0.44 to 0.57) and +416,000 viewers overall (2.1 million to 2.5 million). The 9:30 "Trial" increased by +32% in 18-49 (0.38 to 0.50) and +403,000 viewers overall (1.8 million to 2.1 million) going from L+SD to L+3. Upscale: "Trial & Error" is generating a strong upscale audience, with the 9 p.m. edition indexing at a 119 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes. Among adults 18-49 with four or more years of college, the 9:30 "Trial & Error" is indexing at a 140 and ranks tied for #7 for the full season among all primetime series on the Big 4 networks.

An encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (0.5 in 18-49, 2.4 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tied for #1 in the timeslot in 18-49. The "SVU" rebroadcast retained 100% of the prior week's encore in this timeslot in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.5).

Friday

NBC tied for #1 for the night among the Big 4 networks in 18-49.

An encore of "American Ninja Warrior" (0.5/3 in 18-49, 2.6 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) tied for #1 in the timeslot among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in 18-49.

A rebroadcast of "Dateline NBC" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 0.8 in adults 25-54, 3.0 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and 25-54, topping ABC's original "20/20" in the timeslot in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers.