NBC WINS 52-WEEK SEASON IN 18-49 AND TOTAL VIEWERS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2018
#1 Primetime Program "Sunday Night Football," #1 Entertainment Program "Saturday Night Live" and #1 Drama "This Is Us" Top All Competitors in Demo
"Sunday Night Football," "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent" Triumph in Total Viewers
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Sept. 21, 2021 - For the first time since 2017-18, NBC will finish the 52-week season as the #1 network in both the adults 18-49 demo and total viewers, earning the title as the Most Watched Network in America.
With the 2020-21 season ending Sunday, Sept. 19, NBC won the key demo by 11% (1.0 vs. Fox's 0.9). In total viewers, NBC's win translates to approximately 33.6 million more hours watched than any broadcast competitor.
"In an era with no shortage of viewing options, the reach and impact of broadcast television is still undeniable," said Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, "NBC remains a pillar of strength both within our portfolio as well as the larger television landscape, and we're excited about the future as we continue to grow and connect our TV and streaming business."
Added Susan Rovner, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming's Chairman of Entertainment Content: "The distinction of Most Watched Network is a testament to the depth and quality of our programming, which continues to consistently deliver many of television's biggest hits, night after night and across all genres. NBC is honored to be in the top position with viewers and we plan to ride this momentum into the next 52 weeks with one of our most dynamic programming lineups to date."
NBC finished the season with the #1 primetime program in both 18-49 and total viewers ("Sunday Night Football"; 10th consecutive year as #1 in 18-49), the #1 entertainment program in 18-49 ("Saturday Night Live" for the first time ever), #1 drama in 18-49 ("This Is Us"; fifth year in a row as #1), and in total viewers the #1 unscripted show ("The Voice") and #1 summer program ("America's Got Talent"; 16th season in a row as most-watched summer unscripted program).
NBC has now won the 18-49 demo race seven out of the last eight seasons. In addition to the adults 18-49 win, the network was also #1 in several other demos - women 18-49, adults 25-54, men 25-54 and women 25-54.
Over this past summer, NBC won for the ninth consecutive year in 18-49 and the sixth consecutive year in total viewers for entertainment programming.
"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" was summer's #1 late-night show in 18-49, topping both "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
2020-21 PRIMETIME AVERAGES THROUGH 52 WEEKS, MOST CURRENT (PER NIELSEN)
A18-49
NBC 1.0
Fox 0.9
CBS 0.8
ABC 0.8
Total viewers
NBC 5.290 million
CBS 5.260 million
ABC 4.307 million
Fox 3.558 million
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