NBC's LAST COMIC STANDING Delivers Biggest Overall Audience Since 2007

The season premiere of "Last Comic Standing 9" (1.5/5 in 18-49, 6.0 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) is the most-watched "Last Comic" episode since the fifth-cycle finale on Sept. 19, 2007 (7.103 million) and the most-watched "Last Comic" premiere since the fifth cycle debuted with 6.9 million viewers on Wednesday June 13, 2007. (Note there were no "Last Comic" cycles in 2009 or 2011-13.)

"Last Comic Standing" ranks #1 in last night's time period among the Big 4 networks in every key measure and is the #1 show of the night on those nets in total viewers.

In adult 18-49 rating, "Last Comic Standing" is up +7% versus last summer's finale in 18-49 (1.5 vs. 1.4 from 9-11 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014) and up +24% in total viewers (6.048 million vs. 4.869 million).

Versus last summer's debut, "Last Comic Standing" is running within 0.2 of last summer's premiere in 18-49 (1.5 vs. 1.7 form 9:01-11 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2014) and is currently close to rounding up to a 1.6 (reporting a 1.54 in these preliminary fast-affiliate ratings). In total viewers, last night's ninth-cycle debut of "Last Comic Standing" is up +12% versus last summer's premiere (6.048 million vs. 5.417 million).

"Last Comic Standing" will add substantial viewership via time-shifting - last summer, "Last Comic Standing" grew by +34% going from L+SD Nielsens to L+7 (1.27 to 1.70) and by 1.1 million viewers overall (4.0 million to 5.1 million).

An encore / recap of "America's Got Talent" (1.2/5 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) ranks a close #2 in the time period in total viewers (5.664 million vs. 5.754 million for CBS's "Big Brother"). The "Talent" rebroadcast matched last week's 18-49 rating in this time period (1.2 vs. 1.2).

In Late-Night Metered Markets Wednesday Night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.8/7; "CBS Summer Showcase," 1.9/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "CBS Summer Showcase," 0.3/1 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated.

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