NFL playoffs: Big but down from last year
Overall viewership slides 4 percent for the second round
January 21, 2016
A couple of blowouts likely cost the NFL playoffs better viewership than last year.
The four divisional playoff games over the weekend still drew strong numbers, of course, beating everything else on broadcast. But overall average viewership was down from last year, despite a record for the Saturday night game.
The four contests on NBC, Fox and CBS averaged 36.2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen, down 4 percent from last year, when they averaged 37.8 million.
The Denver Broncos-Pittsburgh Steelers contest on CBS drew the largest crowd, 43 million, for a game that came down to the final minutes.
But that was down from last year’s top game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers on Fox, which averaged 44.5 million.
The NBC game between the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals, which went into overtime after the Packers tied things up on a last-second Hail Mary, was the highest-rated Saturday night divisional playoff game ever with an 18.8 in households.
Still, the four games’ overall drop is worth noting, if only because it’s a reminder that the quality of a matchup is the most important factor in viewership.
If, as in the Carolina Panters-Seattle Seahawks game, one squad takes a 31-0 lead, it’s hard to keep viewers interested.
So CBS and Fox, which air the AFC and NFC Championships this coming weekend, will be praying for close games.
CBS goes in with the advantage of having a matchup between this generation’s two best quarterbacks, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos.
Games between these two always draw huge numbers, and as long as the score is close, that should help CBS.
Fox, meanwhile, airs the later game, which usually draws bigger numbers – figure at least 50 million. The network wants as large a crowd as possible, because it’s premiering its much-hyped reboot of “The X-Files” right after the game.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended Jan. 17:
Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 2.6 rating and an 8 share, followed by CBS at 2.3/7, Fox at 1.3/4, ABC at 1.0/3, Univision at 0.8/3, Telemundo at 0.6/2, CW at 0.4/1, UniMás and ION at 0.3/1, Estrella TV, Me-TV, Azteca and Bounce TV at 0.1/0, and MundoMax and COZI TV at 0.0/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. NBC’s "NFL Playoff Game" 10.6; 2. CBS’s "60 Minutes" 4.8; 3. CBS’s "The Big Bang Theory" 3.8; 4. ABC’s "Modern Family" 2.7; 5. Fox’s "American Idol-Wednesday" 2.5.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC’s "NFL Playoff Game" 33.73 million; 2. CBS’s "60 Minutes" 20.62 million; 3. CBS’s "The Big Bang Theory" 15.75 million; 4. CBS’s "Madam Secretary" 11.87 million; 5. CBS’s "NCIS-Encore" 10.97 million.
Show on the rise: CBS’s "60 Minutes," Sunday, 7 p.m. The newsmagazine got a big boost from its AFC playoff lead-in and posted a season-high 20.6 million viewers and 4.8 18-49 rating, with the latter its best rating in more than three years. An interview with Sean Penn about his El Chapo chat ensured viewers stayed tuned in.
Show on the decline: NBC’s "Shades of Blue," Thursday, 10 p.m. The new J. Lo cop drama slipped 28 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from a 1.8 rating to a 1.3.
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
|
|||||||||
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
||||||
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS
|
6.4
|
7430
|
11
|
3.6
|
10560
|
10
|
2.3
|
2880
|
7
|
NBC
|
5.8
|
6740
|
10
|
3.2
|
9630
|
9
|
2.6
|
3240
|
8
|
FOX
|
2.5
|
2930
|
4
|
1.4
|
4190
|
4
|
1.3
|
1640
|
4
|
ABC
|
2.5
|
2890
|
4
|
1.3
|
3870
|
4
|
1.0
|
1260
|
3
|
UNI
|
1.2
|
1390
|
2
|
0.7
|
2180
|
2
|
0.8
|
1050
|
3
|
ION
|
0.9
|
1050
|
2
|
0.5
|
1340
|
1
|
0.3
|
410
|
1
|
TEL
|
0.8
|
990
|
1
|
0.5
|
1550
|
1
|
0.6
|
760
|
2
|
CW
|
0.8
|
900
|
1
|
0.4
|
1210
|
1
|
0.4
|
480
|
1
|
METV
|
0.4
|
480
|
1
|
0.2
|
600
|
1
|
0.1
|
110
|
0
|
UMA
|
0.3
|
370
|
1
|
0.2
|
640
|
1
|
0.3
|
330
|
1
|
BOUNCE
|
0.2
|
240
|
0
|
0.1
|
360
|
0
|
0.1
|
150
|
0
|
COZ
|
0.1
|
140
|
0
|
0.1
|
160
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
ETV
|
0.1
|
130
|
0
|
0.1
|
200
|
0
|
0.1
|
90
|
0
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
0.1
|
160
|
0
|
0.1
|
80
|
0
|
MMX
|
0.1
|
90
|
0
|
0.0
|
120
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
*Each rating point is equivalent to 1 percent or 1.164 million homes Note: Viewing estimates include same day (3 a.m.-3 a.m.) DVR playback. Source: Nielsen |
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
|
|||||||||
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
||||||
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS
|
6.9
|
8010
|
12
|
3.7
|
11070
|
10
|
2.3
|
2940
|
8
|
NBC
|
5.8
|
6720
|
10
|
3.2
|
9410
|
9
|
2.7
|
3360
|
9
|
ABC
|
4.4
|
5080
|
8
|
2.3
|
6900
|
6
|
1.9
|
2350
|
6
|
FOX
|
3.6
|
4210
|
6
|
2.0
|
5930
|
5
|
2.0
|
2490
|
7
|
UNI
|
1.2
|
1380
|
2
|
0.7
|
2160
|
2
|
0.8
|
1010
|
3
|
CW
|
1.2
|
1360
|
2
|
0.6
|
1830
|
2
|
0.7
|
880
|
2
|
TEL
|
0.8
|
980
|
1
|
0.5
|
1540
|
1
|
0.6
|
750
|
2
|
ION
|
0.8
|
960
|
1
|
0.4
|
1210
|
1
|
0.3
|
380
|
1
|
METV
|
0.4
|
470
|
1
|
0.2
|
590
|
1
|
0.1
|
90
|
0
|
UMA
|
0.4
|
420
|
1
|
0.2
|
690
|
1
|
0.3
|
350
|
1
|
BOUNCE
|
0.2
|
210
|
0
|
0.1
|
320
|
0
|
0.1
|
130
|
0
|
ETV
|
0.1
|
150
|
0
|
0.1
|
240
|
0
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
COZ
|
0.1
|
120
|
0
|
0.0
|
150
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
MMX
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
0.0
|
150
|
0
|
0.0
|
40
|
0
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
80
|
0
|
0.0
|
120
|
0
|
0.1
|
60
|
0
|
*Each rating point is equivalent to one percent or 1.164 million homes Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average and Live+7 data, except for the most recent two weeks which are based Live+SD viewing. |
TOP 25 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST
|
||||||||
#
|
PROGRAMS
|
Net
|
HOUSEHOLDS
|
PERSONS 2+
|
||||
Rtg%
|
Shr
|
(000)
|
#
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
|||
1
|
NBC NFL PLAYOFF GAME 1/16
|
NBC
|
18.8
|
33
|
21,866
|
1
|
11.4
|
33,732
|
2
|
AFC DIV-PLF-POST-GAME-SU
|
CBS
|
17.0
|
27
|
19,757
|
2
|
10.5
|
31,166
|
3
|
NBC NFL PLYOFF PR-KCK1/16
|
NBC
|
12.3
|
22
|
14,348
|
3
|
7.3
|
21,811
|
4
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
12.0
|
19
|
13,932
|
4
|
6.9
|
20,624
|
5
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
9.5
|
16
|
11,088
|
5
|
5.3
|
15,752
|
6
|
AFC DIV-PLF-POST-GAME-SA
|
CBS
|
7.9
|
14
|
9,210
|
6
|
4.6
|
13,715
|
7
|
MADAM SECRETARY
|
CBS
|
7.1
|
11
|
8,263
|
7
|
4.0
|
11,871
|
8
|
NCIS-ENC
|
CBS
|
6.9
|
11
|
8,075
|
8
|
3.7
|
10,973
|
9
|
BLUE BLOODS
|
CBS
|
6.6
|
12
|
7,737
|
9
|
3.6
|
10,623
|
10
|
NBC SC:DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
|
NBC
|
6.2
|
10
|
7,258
|
10
|
3.4
|
10,161
|
11
|
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
|
FOX
|
5.9
|
10
|
6,836
|
11
|
3.3
|
9,771
|
11
|
HAWAII FIVE-0
|
CBS
|
5.9
|
10
|
6,826
|
12
|
3.2
|
9,481
|
13
|
CRIMINAL MINDS
|
CBS
|
5.8
|
10
|
6,806
|
13
|
3.1
|
9,333
|
14
|
GOOD WIFE, THE
|
CBS
|
5.7
|
10
|
6,600
|
15
|
3.0
|
8,965
|
15
|
LIFE IN PIECES
|
CBS
|
5.6
|
9
|
6,529
|
13
|
3.1
|
9,146
|
16
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE SP
|
CBS
|
5.5
|
9
|
6,434
|
15
|
3.0
|
8,868
|
17
|
AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY
|
FOX
|
5.3
|
9
|
6,161
|
17
|
2.9
|
8,716
|
18
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE-SPC
|
CBS
|
5.2
|
8
|
6,055
|
18
|
2.8
|
8,277
|
18
|
MOM
|
CBS
|
5.2
|
8
|
6,079
|
18
|
2.8
|
8,326
|
20
|
CHICAGO PD
|
NBC
|
5.1
|
9
|
5,917
|
21
|
2.7
|
7,987
|
20
|
LAW AND ORDER:SVU
|
NBC
|
5.1
|
9
|
5,993
|
21
|
2.7
|
8,009
|
22
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
4.9
|
8
|
5,753
|
18
|
2.8
|
8,169
|
23
|
BLACKLIST
|
NBC
|
4.7
|
8
|
5,464
|
23
|
2.5
|
7,472
|
23
|
MYSTERIES OF LAURA
|
NBC
|
4.7
|
8
|
5,496
|
23
|
2.5
|
7,525
|
23
|
SCORPION
|
CBS
|
4.7
|
7
|
5,520
|
23
|
2.5
|
7,474
|
Source: Nielsen
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST
|
||||||||
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
||||
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
1
|
AFC WILDCARD PLAYOFF
|
CBS
|
17.5
|
30
|
20,405
|
1
|
10.5
|
31,226
|
2
|
FOX NFC WILDCARD POST GUN
|
FOX
|
12.7
|
20
|
14,740
|
2
|
7.8
|
23,043
|
3
|
AFC WILDCARD PRE-KICK
|
CBS
|
12.5
|
22
|
14,581
|
3
|
7.5
|
22,159
|
4
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
11.5
|
19
|
13,423
|
4
|
6.4
|
18,975
|
5
|
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
|
NBC
|
11.1
|
18
|
12,977
|
5
|
6.2
|
18,511
|
6
|
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
|
CBS
|
10.4
|
17
|
12,157
|
6
|
5.8
|
17,253
|
7
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
9.7
|
16
|
11,314
|
7
|
5.3
|
15,847
|
8
|
SCORPION
|
CBS
|
7.2
|
12
|
8,369
|
8
|
3.9
|
11,670
|
9
|
BLUE BLOODS
|
CBS
|
6.7
|
12
|
7,801
|
9
|
3.7
|
10,846
|
9
|
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
|
CBS
|
6.7
|
12
|
7,765
|
11
|
3.5
|
10,514
|
11
|
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
|
FOX
|
6.5
|
11
|
7,584
|
9
|
3.7
|
10,964
|
12
|
AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY
|
FOX
|
6.1
|
10
|
7,089
|
12
|
3.4
|
10,206
|
13
|
HAWAII FIVE-0
|
CBS
|
5.8
|
10
|
6,710
|
13
|
3.2
|
9,413
|
13
|
LIFE IN PIECES
|
CBS
|
5.8
|
9
|
6,733
|
14
|
3.1
|
9,270
|
15
|
CHICAGO PD
|
NBC
|
5.6
|
10
|
6,490
|
16
|
2.9
|
8,746
|
16
|
MADAM SECRETARY
|
CBS
|
5.5
|
8
|
6,369
|
15
|
3.0
|
8,971
|
16
|
MOM
|
CBS
|
5.5
|
9
|
6,347
|
16
|
2.9
|
8,715
|
16
|
SHADES OF BLUE
|
NBC
|
5.5
|
10
|
6,430
|
16
|
2.9
|
8,550
|
19
|
CHICAGO MED
|
NBC
|
5.3
|
10
|
6,171
|
20
|
2.8
|
8,392
|
19
|
SUPERGIRL
|
CBS
|
5.3
|
8
|
6,160
|
16
|
2.9
|
8,747
|
21
|
ANGEL FROM HELL
|
CBS
|
5.1
|
9
|
5,990
|
23
|
2.7
|
8,135
|
21
|
LAW AND ORDER:SVU
|
NBC
|
5.1
|
8
|
5,907
|
24
|
2.6
|
7,838
|
23
|
BACHELOR, THE
|
ABC
|
5.0
|
8
|
5,796
|
27
|
2.5
|
7,553
|
23
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
5.0
|
8
|
5,822
|
20
|
2.8
|
8,351
|
25
|
BLACKLIST
|
NBC
|
4.8
|
8
|
5,581
|
27
|
2.5
|
7,522
|
25
|
GOOD WIFE, THE
|
CBS
|
4.8
|
7
|
5,554
|
24
|
2.6
|
7,652
|
Source: Nielsen |
TOP 25 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST
|
||||
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
1
|
NBC NFL PLAYOFF GAME 1/16
|
NBC
|
10.6
|
13,471
|
2
|
AFC DIV-PLF-POST-GAME-SU
|
CBS
|
9.7
|
12,261
|
3
|
NBC NFL PLYOFF PR-KCK1/16
|
NBC
|
6.3
|
8,006
|
4
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
4.8
|
6,032
|
5
|
AFC DIV-PLF-POST-GAME-SA
|
CBS
|
4.2
|
5,304
|
6
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
3.8
|
4,781
|
7
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
2.7
|
3,370
|
8
|
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
|
FOX
|
2.5
|
3,183
|
9
|
AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY
|
FOX
|
2.2
|
2,803
|
10
|
NBC SC:DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
|
NBC
|
2.1
|
2,719
|
11
|
BACHELOR, THE
|
ABC
|
2.0
|
2,492
|
11
|
CHICAGO PD
|
NBC
|
2.0
|
2,515
|
11
|
CRIMINAL MINDS
|
CBS
|
2.0
|
2,539
|
11
|
GOLDBERGS, THE
|
ABC
|
2.0
|
2,520
|
11
|
LAW AND ORDER:SVU
|
NBC
|
2.0
|
2,529
|
11
|
LIFE IN PIECES
|
CBS
|
2.0
|
2,517
|
11
|
MADAM SECRETARY
|
CBS
|
2.0
|
2,569
|
18
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE SP
|
CBS
|
1.9
|
2,434
|
18
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE-SPC
|
CBS
|
1.9
|
2,463
|
18
|
BLACK-ISH
|
ABC
|
1.9
|
2,435
|
18
|
MIDDLE, THE
|
ABC
|
1.9
|
2,393
|
22
|
SIMPSONS
|
FOX
|
1.8
|
2,295
|
23
|
2 BROKE GIRLS
|
CBS
|
1.7
|
2,096
|
23
|
FAMILY GUY
|
FOX
|
1.7
|
2,099
|
23
|
MOM
|
CBS
|
1.7
|
2,133
|
Source: Nielsen |
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION
|
||||
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+ (000) |
1
|
AQUI Y AHORA SUN
|
UNI
|
12.1
|
2956
|
2
|
SAL Y PIMIENTA SUN
|
UNI
|
10.2
|
2390
|
3
|
YO NO CREO EN HOMBRES M - F
|
UNI
|
9.6
|
2352
|
4
|
PASION Y PODER M - F
|
UNI
|
9.6
|
2352
|
5
|
SENORA ACERO II - M - F
|
TEL
|
8.7
|
2248
|
6
|
MUCHACHA ITALIANA CAS MTWT…
|
UNI
|
8.6
|
2065
|
7
|
C. CERRADO-ED. ESTELAR MTWT…
|
TEL
|
8.4
|
1830
|
8
|
CELIA - M - F
|
TEL
|
8.0
|
1776
|
9
|
ANTES MUERTA LICHITA M - F
|
UNI
|
7.8
|
1946
|
10
|
BAJO EL MISMO CIELO - M - F
|
TEL
|
7.4
|
1799
|
11
|
CAPTURA DE EL CHAPO 1/9(S)-01/09/2016
|
UNI
|
6.8
|
1760
|
12
|
RECAPTURA CHP 1/08(S)-01/08/2016
|
TEL
|
5.2
|
1122
|
13
|
CINE CANTINFLAS SAT
|
UMA
|
4.7
|
1160
|
14
|
GRAN HERMANO - SUN
|
TEL
|
4.5
|
1135
|
15
|
SABADAZO SAT
|
UNI
|
3.9
|
923
|
16
|
QUE NOCHE
|
TEL
|
3.5
|
847
|
17
|
CINE EN CASA 1/09(S)-01/09/2016
|
TEL
|
3.1
|
842
|
18
|
CINE DE LAS ESTREL SUN
|
UMA
|
2.5
|
656
|
19
|
YA ERA HORA SUN
|
TEL
|
2.3
|
576
|
20
|
CINEPLEX M - F-B
|
UMA
|
2.0
|
501
|
21
|
ROSA DE GUADALUPE, LA M - F
|
UMA
|
1.7
|
469
|
22
|
NOTC-CIERRE EDICION M - F
|
ETV
|
1.3
|
314
|
22
|
PREMIOS TELEHIT 2015(S)-01/09/2016
|
UMA
|
1.3
|
310
|
24
|
ALARMA TV - M - F 10P
|
ETV
|
1.3
|
294
|
25
|
FLM ….FS. 2
|
AZA
|
1.3
|
306
|
Source: Nielsen |
HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
|
||||
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
1
|
FOX NFC WILDCARD GAME(S)-01/10/2016
|
FOX
|
11.7
|
2870
|
2
|
AFC WILDCARD PLAYOFF(S)-01/09/2016
|
CBS
|
10.0
|
2580
|
3
|
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS(S)-01/10/2016
|
NBC
|
7.6
|
1715
|
4
|
FOX NFC WILDCARD POST GUN(S)-01/10/2016
|
FOX
|
7.5
|
1865
|
5
|
AFC WILDCARD PRE-KICK(S)-01/09/2016
|
CBS
|
7.1
|
1704
|
6
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
4.1
|
863
|
7
|
SHADES OF BLUE
|
NBC
|
3.9
|
813
|
8
|
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
|
FOX
|
3.8
|
884
|
8
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
3.8
|
817
|
10
|
AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY
|
FOX
|
3.5
|
788
|
Source: Nielsen |
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
|
||||
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
1
|
AFC WILDCARD PLAYOFF
|
CBS
|
19.4
|
4294
|
2
|
FOX NFC WILDCARD POST GUN
|
FOX
|
16.6
|
3724
|
3
|
AFC WILDCARD PRE-KICK
|
CBS
|
12.8
|
2766
|
4
|
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
|
FOX
|
8.2
|
1664
|
5
|
SIMPSONS
|
FOX
|
8.1
|
1802
|
6
|
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
|
NBC
|
7.9
|
1597
|
7
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
7.3
|
1445
|
8
|
AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY
|
FOX
|
7.2
|
1544
|
9
|
SHADES OF BLUE
|
NBC
|
7.2
|
1355
|
10
|
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
|
CBS
|
6.9
|
1320
|
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes. |
Tags: broadcast, broadcast recap, cbs, fox, nbc, nfl playoffs, sports tv
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