March 13, 2014
Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming
Week of March 3, 2014
ABC’s Late-Night Lineup Continues to Build in Viewers and Adults 18-49
To Deliver its Biggest Weekly Advantages Over CBS Since November
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” Grows for the 2nd-Consecutive Week, Scoring a
14-Week High in Total Viewers and an 11-Week High in Adults 18-49
“Nightline” Draws its Largest Weekly Audience in More Than 3 Months
And On Friday Night Earns its Most-Watched Telecast in 9 Months
ABC Late-Night (Monday – Friday)
With its late-night lineup of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 11:35 p.m. and “Nightline” at 12:35 a.m. during the week of March 3, 2014, ABC grew for the 2nd-consecutive week in Total Viewers (+6% – 2.391 million vs. 2.259 million) and Adults 18-49 (+13% – 802,000 vs. 712,000). ABC’s Late-Night lineup increased over the same week last year by 8% in Total Viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49.
· ABC was the No. 2 network in late-night, outdrawing CBS by 16% in Viewers (2.391 million vs. 2.069 million) and by 40% among Adults 18-49 (802,000 vs. 574,000). In viewers (+322,000) and young adults (+228,000), ABC posted its biggest weekly advantages over CBS since November – since 11/25/13 and 11/18/13, respectively.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (M-F 11:35 p.m.)
During the week of March 3, 2014, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” delivered its 2nd-straight week of growth in Total Viewers (+4% – 2.744 million vs. 2.632 million) and Adults 18-49 (+12% – 931,000 vs. 828,000). In fact, “JKL” posted a 14-week high in Total Viewers and an 11-week high in Adults 18-49 — since the weeks of 11/25/13 and 12/16/13, respectively. As the gap between the two shows continues to close, NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” declined by another 24% week to week in Adults 18-49 (1.707 million vs. 2.243 million) and was down 52% from its premiere week just 2-weeks ago (3.554 million on w/o 2/17/14).
· “JKL” posted gains over the year-ago week (2.569 million and 866,000 on w/o 3/4/13) of 7% in Total Viewers and 8% in Adults 18-49.
· ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” ranked as the week’s No. 2 talk show in late-night on broadcast and cable among Adults 18-49 (931,000).
“Nightline” (M-F 12:35 a.m.)
ABC News’ “Nightline” drew 1.718 million Total Viewers, 717,000 Adults 25-54 and 555,000 Adults 18-49 for the week of March 3, 2014,according to Nielsen Media Research. For the 2nd consecutive week, “Nightline” improved on the prior week’s performance in Total Viewers (+10%), Adults 25-54 (+11%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%) – 1.567 million, 644,000 and 498,000, respectively, on w/o 2/24/14. In fact, “Nightline” drew its largest overall audience more than 3 months – since w/o 11/25/13.
· For the 4th week in a row, “Nightline” outdelivered CBS’ “The Late Late Show” in all key target demos: Total Viewers (+332,000), Adults 25-54 (+158,000) and Adults 18-49 (+111,000). Further, “Nightline” led the CBS program by its largest Total Viewer advantage in 4 months (since w/o 11/4/13) and 2nd largest margin overall this season.
· “Nightline” posted double-digit year-to-year increases in Total Viewers (+18%), Adults 25-54 (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+20%)– 1.450 million, 643,000, and 462,000 respectively, on w/o 3/4/13.
· “Nightline” ranked No. 1 on Friday (3/7/14) in Total Viewers (2.226 million) beating CBS’ “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” by 847,000 Total Viewers (1.379 million) and “Late Night with Set Meyers” by 230,000 Total Viewers (1.996 million). Further, “Nightline’s” Friday airing stood as its most-watched telecast in 9 months (since 6/18/13) and 3rd most-watched ever since moving to its new time period in January 2013.
· Week to week, “Nightline” slashed its margins with NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” from its margins with the NBC program’s premiere week by more than half in Total Viewers (-68% – 355,000 vs. 1.106 million), Adults 25-54 (-51% – 331,000 vs. 679,000) and Adults 18-49 (-54% – 341,000 vs. 748,000).
· Season to date, “Nightline” leads CBS’ “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” across the board: Total Viewers (+198,000), Adults 25-54 (+71,000) and Adults 18-49 (+32,000).
Late-Night (Week of March 3): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)
ABC 2,391,000 802,000
CBS 2,069,000 574,000
NBC 2,819,000 1,119000
Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for weeks of 3/3/14, 2/24/14 & 3/4/13 or as dated.
Contacts: Jeff Lindsey 818.460.5095 / Salima Merchant 818.460.6847 / Pons Rongavilla 818.460.5615