RATINGS: THE TONIGHT SHOW Delivers Its Top Non-NFL Week In 18-49 Since April 2019

By: Mar. 24, 2020
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RATINGS: THE TONIGHT SHOW Delivers Its Top Non-NFL Week In 18-49 Since April 2019

In late-night ratings results for the week of March 16-20 "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" has delivered its highest-rated week in adults 18-49, excluding weeks of NFL boosts, since April 22-26, 2019, and its most-watched week in three months, since Dec. 16-20, according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Note that "Tonight" aired encore telecasts that featured from Wednesday through Friday approximately 10-minute "At Home Edition" videos of new material generated by Jimmy Fallon at home with his family.

With a 0.44 rating in adults 18-49 and 2.034 million viewers overall, "Tonight" earned its top 18-49 result, excluding weeks of boosts from primetime NFL coverage, since a 0.45 for the week of April 22-26, 2019. In total viewers, the 2.034 million is the show's high since 2.093 million for the week of Dec. 16-20, 2019.

For the week, "Tonight's" 0.44 was up +22% versus the show's 0.36 first-quarter-to-date average for originals. "Tonight" led the ABC and CBS late-night competition in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and most other key demographics.

At 12:35 a.m. ET, rebroadcasts of "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (0.25 in 18-49, 1.054 million viewers) equaled that show's 18-49 season high, excluding the NFL-boosted week of Thanksgiving. "Late Night" was up +19% versus its first-quarter average for originals (0.25 vs. 0.21).

And at 1:35 a.m. ET, "A Little Late with Lilly Singh" encores (0.19 in 18-49, 719,000 viewers) set a new 18-49 series high for non-NFL weeks. The 0.19 is a +36% jump over the show's 0.14 average this quarter.

Highlights of "Tonight's" week included Thursday's rebroadcast, which featured one of the week's "At Home Edition" videos. THE MARCH 19 telecast delivered a 0.56 rating in adults 18-49 and 2.357 million viewers overall, for gains of +66% and +39% respectively versus the show's season-to-date Thursday averages for originals and encores excluding NFL nights (0.34 in 18-49, 1.701 million viewers).

In 18-49, it was the show's highest-rated telecast, excluding NFL nights and New Year's Eve, since Tuesday Feb. 26, 2019 (0.56, the night of premiere for "The Voice" and "World of Dance"). In total viewers, it's the most-watched non-NFL Thursday "Tonight" since June 27, 2019 (2.426 million, a live telecast with Nicki Minaj, Phoebe Robinson and musical guest Julia Michaels following a Democratic debate in primetime).

Thursday's "Late Night" encore (0.32 in 18-49) matched the show's season high, excluding Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, while the Thursday rebroadcast of "A Little Late" (0.21) drew the show's #3 best rating ever (behind a 0.38 on Thanksgiving and a 0.22 on Feb. 26).

DIGITAL / SOCIAL: "The Tonight Show," fueled by Jimmy's "At Home Edition" videos, continues its streak as the #1 most-viewed TV Entertainment program on YouTube, topping the nearest competitor by nearly +30 million views (Source: ListenFirst Media Brand Rankings, LF // TV UNIVERSE // EPISODIC; Video Views; Brand Type: TV Shows, 3/16/20-3/22/20. Excludes Children's Programming and WWE). Year-to-date, "Tonight" has ranked #1 in all but two weeks in this Youtube viewing measure (Source: ListenFirst Media Brand Rankings, LF // TV UNIVERSE // EPISODIC; Video Views; Brand Type: TV Shows, 01/01/20-03/22/20. Excludes Children's Programming and WWE. Ranked by weekly totals).

"Tonight" accounted for the #1 & #2 most-viewed TV Entertainment videos on Youtube last week, with Tuesday (5.5 million views) and Wednesday (4 million views) "At Home Edition" releases (Source: ListenFirst Media Content Rankings; LF // TV UNIVERSE // EPISODIC; Content Video Views (YouTube); 03/16/20-03/22/20; Excludes Trailers & Children's programming).

Despite releasing only four new Youtube videos (five counting a "best of" BTS episode), viewing of new "Tonight Show" content was +25% above the average for standard original weeks. Total Youtube viewing, was also well above the show's weekly average (+37%), reaching a high since the record-setting BTS week of Feb. 24.

Year-to-date, "Tonight" has generated 811 million Youtube video views, up +34% versus the same time-period last year.

LATE-NIGHT WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of March 16-20. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data 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" 0.44 rating, 4 share (R)
CBS "Late Show," 0.33/2 (R)
ABC "Kimmel," 0.31/3 (R) *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.46/3 *

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.25/3 (R)
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.17/2 (R)

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "A Little Late with Lilly Singh," 0.19/3 (R)

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 2.034 million viewers (R)
CBS "Late Show," 2.489 million viewers (R)
ABC "Kimmel," 1.610 million viewers (R) *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 2.800 million viewers *

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.054 million viewers (R)
CBS "The Late Late Show," 1.027 million viewers (R)

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "A Little Late with Lilly Singh," 0.719 million viewers (R)

* "Kimmel" aired at midnight following "Nightline" in many markets.

SEASON AVERAGES

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight" 0.40 rating, 3 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.44/4
ABC "Kimmel," 0.34/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.22/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.24/3
CBS "The Late Late Show," 0.20/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "A Little Late with Lilly Singh," 0.15/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 2.001 viewers
CBS "Late Show," 3.636 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 1.940 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.203 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.311 million viewers
CBS "The Late Late Show," 1.253 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "A Little Late with Lilly Singh," 0.683 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF MARCH 16-20

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m., "The Daily Show," 0.14 (R)
Comedy Central, 11:30-midnight ET, "Lights Out with David Spade," preempted

TBS, 11-11:30 p.m., "Conan," 0.13 (R)

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.39
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.30

Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.29 million viewers.

TOTAL VIEWERS

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m., "The Daily Show," 0.380 million viewers (R)
Comedy Central, 11:30-midnight ET, "Lights Out with David Spade," preempted

TBS, 11-11:30 p.m., "Conan," 0.370 million viewers (R)

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.812 million viewers
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.593 million viewers



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