Across all target demos ABC’s Latenight Program Ranks No. 1 for the First Time Ever During a Premiere Week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
Nightline is No. 1 in Total Viewers During an Opening Week For the First Time in 18 Years.
For the week of September 19, 2011, the opening week of the 2011-12 season, ABC’s “Nightline” won across all key target demos: Total Viewers (3.850 million), Adults 25-54 (1.595 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.248 million), according to Nielsen Media Research.
This stands as the first time ever for the ABC latenight program to rank No. 1 during a premiere week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, topping both NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and CBS’ “The Late Show.” Additionally, it marked the first time in 18 years and for only the second time ever that “Nightline” outdrew its latenight rivals in Total Viewers – since premiere week of the 1993-94 season, when “Letterman” began on CBS.
“Nightline” posted increases on its year-ago premiere week performance in Total Viewers (+7%) and Adults 25-54 (+2%), while both NBC’s “The Tonight Show” (-4% and -10%, respectively) and CBS’ “The Late Show” (-15% and -17%, respectively) saw decreases.
“Nightline” outperformed CBS’ “The Late Show with David Letterman” by its largest advantages ever during the opening week of the season in both Adults 25-54 (+259,000) and Adults 18-49 (+199,000). Additionally, the ABC program scored its largest Total Viewer lead (+628,000) during over “The Late Show” during a premiere week in 13 years – since w/o 9/21/98.
For the 2nd time in the last 3 years, “Nightline” beat NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” during week 1 of the season across all key target demos: Total Viewers (+209,000), Adults 25-54 (+191,000) and Adults 18-49 (+183,000).
ABC News’ “Nightline” is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. John Donvan and Juju Chang are correspondents. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.
(Week of September 19, 2011)
TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg
ABC “Nightline” 3,850,000 1,595,000/ 1.3 1,248,000/ 1.0
CBS “Late Show” 3,222,000 1,336,000/ 1.1 1,049,000/ 0.8
NBC “Tonight Show” 3,641,000 1,404,000/ 1.2 1,065,000/ 0.8
(Source: ABC – The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 09/19/11, 9/12/11 & 9/20/10)
