NBC's Coverage of MACY'S PARADE Delivers Best Nielsens for Any Non-Sports Telecast

NBC's coverage of MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE has delivered the #1 Nielsens for any entertainment telecast on the broadcast networks in 18-49 and total viewers since February's Academy Awards, according to "live plus same day" viewing data released today by Nielsen Media Research.

Averaging 24.639 million viewers overall and a 6.8 rating, 31 share in adults 18-49, the parade topped the "live plus same day" 18-49 and total-viewer averages for all primetime non-sports telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX since Feb. 28, when ABC's coverage of the Oscars averaged a 10.5 rating in 18-49 and 34.425 million viewers overall (excludes multi-network news coverage).

From 9 a.m.-noon on Thursday Nov. 26, the 90th annual "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," hosted by Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker of NBC's "Today," delivered a 14-year high in 18-49 rating for the event, best since 2002 (7.0) and a three-year high in total viewers, strongest since 2013 (25.173million). It was the second-most-watched Macy's Parade in people meter history, trailing only the 2013 average since Nielsen initiated its current sample in 1987.

The parade coverage grew versus last year by +13% in 18-49 (with a 6.8 rating vs. a 6.0) and +11% in total viewers (24.639 million vs. 22.255 million).

NBC Research estimates a total of 45.3 million viewers watched all or some of the parade telecast, up +10% year to year and making it the most-watched Macy's Parade since 2013 (46.7 million) and second-most-watched in total audience in 15 years, trailing only the 2013 total since 2001's 46.0 million.

From noon-2 p.m. Thanksgiving day, NBC's coverage of "The NATIONAL DOG SHOW Presented by Purina," hosted by John O'Hurley and featuring the commentary of expert analyst David Frei, set new records for its 15-year run on NBC, averaging a 3.2 rating, 13 share in 18-49 and 12.360 million viewers overall.

Versus last year, "The National Dog Show" leaped +22% in total viewers (with 12.360 million vs. 10.100 million) and +28% in 18-49 (3.2 vs. 2.5).

The previous records for the event were 10.667 million viewers overall in 2013 and a 2.8 in 18-49 in 2003, the second year NBC carried "The National Dog Show."

Over the last four years, "The NATIONAL DOG SHOW Presented by Purina" has generated its four highest total-viewer averages in the event's 15-year history on NBC, with 10.667 million in 2013, 10.294 million in 2014, 10.100 million in 2015 and 12.360 million in 2016.

NBC Research estimates a total of 22.863 million viewers watched all or some of the "National Dog Show" telecast, up +12% from last year to a new "National Dog Show" record.

Photo by: Eric Liebowitz/NBC

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