NBC's Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon Take No. 1 Late-Night Results This Week, 8/13-17

By: Aug. 23, 2012
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NBC's 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' have dominated the ABC and CBS time-period competition for the week of August 13-17, with Jay delivering bigger audiences than CBS's 'Late Show with David Letterman' and ABC's combination of 'Nightline' and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' head to head for the hour in every key ratings category: adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers.

At 12:35 a.m. ET, Jimmy Fallon also prevailed in every key category versus CBS's 'Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson' and ABC's 'Kimmel' head to head in their common half-hour.

Pacing NBC's late-night week were potent Monday results for 'Tonight' and 'Late Night,' as Jay and Jimmy made strong returns after a two-week break during the 2012 London Olympics. With guests First Lady Michelle Obama, Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle Douglas and musical guest Norah Jones, the August 13 'Tonight' delivered the show's biggest overall Monday audience (4.449 million) since February 6, the night after the Super Bowl. In 18-49 viewers, 'Tonight's' 1.291 million on August 13 matched its Monday high since that same February 6 telecast.

Monday's 'Late Night,' featuring guests Meredith Vieira, Kevin Durant and James Harden, Big Ang and musical guest Needtobreathe, generated Jimmy Fallon's biggest overall Monday audience (1.952 million) since February 6 and biggest Monday 18-49 audience (687,000) since April 30.

Through the first 48 weeks of the 2011-12 broadcast year, "Tonight" has increased its total-viewer margin over "Late Show" to 22 percent (3.672 million vs. 3.006 million), up from the year-ago season-to-date advantage of 14 percent, while stretching its 25-54 advantage to 11 percent (1.406 million vs. 1.272 million) from last year's 8 percent. Jimmy Fallon has established a total-viewer lead over "Late Late Show" this season of 21 percent (1.752 million vs. 1.442 million), up from last year's advantage of 6 percent. Jimmy has also increased his season-to-date lead over "Late Late Show" in adults 18-49 to 23 percent (705,000 vs. 572,000), up from last year's 21 percent; in adults 18-34 to 52 percent (274,000 vs. 180,000), up from last year's 29 percent; and in adults 25-54 to 17 percent (846,000 vs. 722,000), up from 7 percent at this point last season.

"Tonight" delivered a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Show" for the 29th time in their last 33 head-to-head weeks (excludes weeks of Olympic preemptions) and 11th week in a row, while Jimmy Fallon has attracted a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Late Show" for each of their last 36 head-to-head weeks.

WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of August 13-17. 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,' 0.8 rating, 3 share
CBS 'Late Show,' 0.5/2*
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC 'Nightline,' 0.7/3
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC 'Kimmel,' 0.4/2*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Late Night,' 0.5/3
CBS 'Late Late Show,' 0.3/2 (in encore telecasts)
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC 'Last Call,' 0.2/2 (in encore telecasts)

TOTAL VIEWERS
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Tonight,' 3.5 million viewers
CBS 'Late Show,' 2.4 million viewers*
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC 'Nightline,' 3.2 million viewers
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC 'Kimmel,' 1.6 million viewers*
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Late Night,' 1.6 million viewers
CBS 'Late Late Show,' 1.2 million viewers (in encore telecasts)
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC 'Last Call,' 0.8 million viewers (in encore telecasts)

* Friday's 'Late Show' and 'Kimmel' were encores.

SEASON TO DATE

ADULTS 18-49
11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Tonight,' 0.8 rating, 3 share
CBS 'Late Show,' 0.8/3
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC 'Nightline,' 0.9/3
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC 'Kimmel,' 0.5/2
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Late Night,' 0.6/3
CBS 'Late Late Show,' 0.4/2
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,' 3.7 million viewers
CBS 'Late Show,' 3.0 million viewers
11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET
ABC 'Nightline,' 3.7 million viewers
12 midnight-1 a.m. ET
ABC 'Kimmel,' 1.8 million viewers
12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC 'Late Night,' 1.8 million viewers
CBS 'Late Late Show,' 1.4 million viewers
1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC 'Last Call,' 0.9 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF August 13-17

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, 'The Daily Show,' 0.7
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, 'The Colbert Report,' 0.5
TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, 'Conan,' 0.4 in encore telecasts
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.9
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.6

Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.28 million viewers

TOTAL VIEWERS
Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. 'The Daily Show,' 1.7 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, 'The Colbert Report,' 1.2 million
TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, 'Conan,' 0.9 million in encore telecasts
Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 2.2 million
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.3 million



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