NBC Takes The June 18-24 Ratings Week In 18-49

NBC has claimed the primetime ratings week of June 18-24 in the key demographic of adults 18-49, paced by the "America's Got Talent," the week's #1 primetime telecast on the Big 4 networks; "World of Dance," tied for #2; and "American Ninja Warrior," tied for #5; according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Additionally, NBC got strong results from Monday's "Running Wild with Bear Grylls," Thursday's "Little Big Shots" and a Sunday encore of "Talent" (all tied for #14).

The broad-based hit "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 in total viewers over all primetime programs on broadcast and cable for the week by a margin of more than +4.0 million viewers (11.9 million vs. 7.6 million for CBS' #2 encore of "60 Minutes"). "Talent" also ranked #1 for the week on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-34, 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 led among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in men and women 18-49; adults, men and women 25-54; adults 18-34 (tie) and men 18-34.

In adults 18-49, NBC is dominating the current primetime season, with leads over #2 ABC of +0.5 of a rating point or +33% (2.0 vs. 1.5). The +33% advantage is the best for any #1 network at this point in the season in 10 years (since FOX led by +38% in 2007-08) and second best in the 30-year history of Nielsen's current people-meter sample.

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 150,000 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 1.513 million total viewers of CBS excluding sports, best since the gap was 674,000 in 2002-03).

Counting entertainment programming only, NBC ranks #1 or tied for #1 for the season in adults and women 18-49, adults and women 25-54, and adults and men 18-34.

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 39 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," June 18-24

NBC...0.8

ABC...0.7

Fox...0.6

CBS...0.5

CW...0.2

Total Viewers

CBS...4.3 million

NBC...4.1 million

ABC...3.4 million

Fox...2.1 million

CW...0.8 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

NBC...2.0

ABC...1.5

CBS...1.4

Fox...1.4

CW...0.6

Total Viewers

CBS...8.6 million

NBC...8.4 million

ABC...6.0 million

Fox...4.7 million

CW...1.7 million

NBC highlights for the week of June 11-17:

Monday

"Running Wild with Bear Grylls," featuring Don Cheadle (0.7/3 in 18-49, 3.1 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) maintained 100% versus the show's prior original of four weeks earlier in 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.7 from 10-11 p.m. on Monday, May 21) and grew +8% in total viewers (3.1 million vs. 2.9 million).

"Live Plus Three Day" Ratings: "Running Wild" increased by +9% in 18-49 (from a 0.67 rating to a 0.73) and +249,000 viewers overall (3.1 million to 3.4 million) going from "live plus same day" Nielsens to L+3.

"Live Plus Seven Day" Ratings: "Running Wild" has increased by +18% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 0.76 to a 0.90) and +532,000 viewers overall (3.2 million to 3.7 million).

"American Ninja Warrior" (1.0/4 in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) finished #2 in the 9-11 p.m. timeslot in adults 18-49 and #1 for its second hour from 10-11 p.m., topping ABC's debut of "The Proposal" by a +25% margin (1.0 vs. 0.8). In adults 25-54, "Ninja" tied for #1 for the two-hour 9-11 p.m. timeslot and #1 outright for its second hour from 10-11 p.m. "Ninja" ranked as the #2 show of the night in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. L+3: "Ninja" increased by +19% in 18-49 going from L+SD to L+7 (1.00 to 1.19) and +649,000 viewers overall (4.3 million to 4.9 million). L+7: Last summer, "American Ninja Warrior" grew by +21% going from L+SD to L+7 in 18-49 rating (from a 1.44 to a 1.74) and +943,000 viewers overall (5.9 million to 6.8 million). Upscale: "Ninja" generates a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 118 among adult 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes).

Tuesday

NBC ranked #1 Tuesday night versus the Big 4 competition combined in every key measure, leading six of six half-hours in adults 18-49 and total viewers.

"America's Got Talent" (2.2/10 in 18-49, 11.9 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) beat the timeslot's Big 4 competition combined by +29% in adults 18-49 (2.2 vs. a combined 1.7)and grew week to week in total viewers by +3% to the show's most-watched episode since its May 29 season premiere (12.157 million). "Talent" was the #1 show of the night in 18-49, total viewers and every other key measure. L+3: "Talent" increased by +29% in 18-49 (2.17 to 2.80) and +2.4 million viewers overall (11.9 million to 14.3 million) going from L+SD to L+3, for the biggest L+3 lifts of the night in 18-49 rating and total viewers. L+7: "Talent" is growing by +37% in 18-49 rating (from a 2.36 to a 3.24) and more than +3.3 million viewers overall (11.8 million to 15.0 million) going from L+SD to L+7. Upscale: "Talent" is generating a strong upscale audience, indexing at a 111 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

"World of Dance" (1.4/6 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) topped the combined ABC-CBS competition in all key categories, while maintaining 100% week to week in 18-49 (1.4 vs. 1.4, which tied as the #2 telecast of the week on the Big 4 networks) and growing +3% in total viewers (6.2 million vs. 6.1 million). "World" beat the timeslot's combined original ABC-CBS competition by a +40% margin in adults 18-49 (1.4 vs. a combined 1.0) and was the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in 18-49, total viewers and every other key measure, behind only "America's Got Talent." L+3: "World" grew by +33% in 18-49 (1.40 to 1.86) and +1.6 million viewers overall (6.2 million to 7.8 million) going from L+SD to L+3. L+7: "World of Dance" is increasing by +40% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 1.65 to a 2.31) and +2.3 million viewers overall (6.7 million to 9.0 million). Upscale: "World of Dance" is generating a solid upscale audience, indexing at a 108 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

Wednesday

An encore telecast of "World of Dance" averaged a 0.5/3 in 18-49 and 2.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET and a second rebroadcast of "World of Dance" earned a 0.5/2 in 18-49 and 2.5 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET).

"Reverie" (0.4/2 in 18-49, 1.8 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET), despite a lower lead-in this week from encore programming, grows week to week among adults 18-34 and women 18-34 viewers. Despite the 10 p.m. hour, "Reverie" maintained 100% half-hour to half-hour in adults 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34. L+3: "Reverie" grew by +18% in 18-49 (0.39 to 0.46) and +694,000 viewers overall (1.8 million to 2.5 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens. Upscale: "Reverie" is delivering a solid upscale audience, indexing at a 110 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

Thursday

"Little Big Shots" (0.7/4 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) ranked #2 in the timeslot among the Big 4 networks ahead of the original competition of ABC's "The Gong Show" season premiere and Fox's first hour of "The Four" in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers. "LBS" was up +1.6 million persons or +40% versus NBC's average in the timeslot last summer in total viewers (5.6 million vs. 4.0 million, L+SD excluding sports). L+3: "Little Big Shots" increased by +10% in 18-49 (0.73 to 0.80) and +614,000 viewers overall (5.6 million to 6.2 million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens, for the biggest L+3 lift of the night in total viewers. Upscale: "Little Big Shots" is delivering a solid upscale audience, indexing at a 106 among adults 18-49 in $100K+ homes.

"Marlon" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 2.8 million viewers overall from 9-9:30 p.m. ET) finished within 0.1 of a point in 18-49 of both the timeslot lead among the Big 4 networks in 18-49 and "Marlon's" lead-in from "Little Big Shots." L+3: "Marlon" grew by +27% in 18-49 going from L+SD to L+7 (0.64 to 0.81) and +424,000 viewers overall (2.8 million to 3.2 million). L+7: Last season, "Marlon" grew by +28% in 18-49 rating (from a 1.18 to a 1.51) and +772,000 viewers overall (4.9 million to 5.6 million) going from L+SD to L+7.

A second episode of "Marlon" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 2.4 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET) maintained 100% of both its lead-in in 18-49 the show's rating of one week earlier in the same 9:30 timeslot in 18-49. Week to week, the 9:30 "Marlon" was up in total viewers (2.410 million vs. 2.386 million). L+3: The 9:30 "Marlon" increased by +28% in 18-49 (0.61 to 0.78) and +419,000 viewers overall (2.4 million to 2.8 million) going from L+SD to L+7.

An encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (0.5/2 in 18-49, 2.5 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tied for the timeslot lead among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and was #1 outright among those nets in women 18-49 and women 18-34 versus competition that included ABC's series premiere of "Take Two."

Friday

NBC finished #1 for the night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, with its "American Ninja Warrior" encore and an original "Dateline NBC" tying as the #1 shows of the night on those nets.

An encore telecast of "American Ninja Warrior" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 2.8 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) tied as the top-rated program of the night on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX in adults 18-49, growing +20% versus the previous week's rebroadcast in this timeslot in 18-49 (0.6 vs. 0.5) and +7% in total viewers (2.8 million vs. 2.6 million).

"Dateline NBC" (0.6/3 in 18-49, 0.9 in adults 25-54, 3.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tied as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and 25-54. "Dateline" tied for #1 in the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and ranked #1 outright among those nets in adults 25-54. L+3: The prior Friday's "Dateline" increased by +38% in 18-49 (0.58 to 0.80) and +1.1 million viewers overall (3.4 million to 4.5. million) going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens, for the biggest lifts of the night on the Big 4 in 18-49 rating and total viewers. Upscale: Friday's "Dateline" is delivering a solid upscale audience, indexing at a 113 among adults 18-49 in $100K+ homes.