'America's Got Talent' Tops Week in Total Viewers

The #1 show of the week in adults 18-49 and total viewers, "America's Got Talent," and the top-rated "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular" in three years led NBC to an average 1.3 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49 and 4.7 million viewers overall for the week of June 28-July 4, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

For the week, NBC tied for #2 in primetime in adults 18-49 and adults 18-34 and tied for #1 in adults 25-54. NBC ranked #2 outright among the major networks in total viewers. NBC was #1 in adults 18-49 on three nights last week, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The Wednesday edition of "America's Got Talent," with a 3.5 rating in adults 18-49 and 12.9 million viewers overall, was the #1 program of the week in both adults 18-49 and total viewers. The Tuesday edition of "America's Got Talent" was the #3 program of the week in 18-49 and the #2 program in total viewers.

An edition of "America's Got Talent" has been the #1 non-sports telecast on the major networks every week the show has aired this summer, a streak that has now reached five weeks. In adults 18-49, "Talent" has generated the #1 non-sports rating for the last three weeks in a row.

Last Wednesday's "America's Got Talent" matched the highest 18-49 rating and delivered the biggest overall viewer total of any non-sports primetime telecast on any major networks in four weeks. The last non-sports program to rate higher in 18-49 was the June 8 "Glee" original on Fox (4.7) and the last non-sports telecast to deliver a bigger average viewership came that same night with "America's Got Talent" (13.1 million viewers).

Also ranking among the top 20 programs for the June 28-July 4 week in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49, were the Wednesday encore of "Talent" (#13, tied), Wednesday's "Law & Order: SVU" (#15, tied), Tuesday's "Last Comic Standing" encore (#15, tied), and Monday's regular edition of "Last Comic Standing" (#19, tied)

Primetime averages for the week of June 28-July 4 in adults 18-49 were Fox (1.5/6), NBC and ABC (1.3/5), CBS (1.1/4) and CW (0.4/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (5.6 million), NBC (4.7 million), ABC (4.5 million), Fox (4.1 million) and CW (0.9 million).

NBC highlights for the week of June 28-July 4

* On Monday, "Last Comic Standing" grew from its first half-hour to its fourth by 31 percent in 18-49 rating and by 25 percent in total viewers to rank #1 among the major networks in the 10-11 p.m. ET hour in adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and all key adult-male demographics.

* On Tuesday, "America's Got Talent" was the #1 program of the night in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, topping such primetime rivals as Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" and ABC's "Wipeout" and "Downfall." "Talent" ranked #1 in its time period in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures.

* From its first half-hour to its second, the Tuesday "Talent" increased by 23 percent in 18-49 rating and by 23 percent or 2.1 million persons in total viewers, easily the biggest gain among the major networks in the time period.

* Also on Tuesday, an encore telecast of "Last Comic Standing" at 10 p.m. ET dominated the time period's major-network competition demographically, ranking #1 in adults 18-49 and all key demos - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. "Last Comic" matched or topped the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults, men and women 18-34 and men 18-49.

* Additionally on Tuesday, "Losing It With Jillian" gained 8 percent week to week in both adults 18-49 and total viewers.

* On Wednesday, "America's Got Talent" matched the highest 18-49 rating for any Wednesday edition of "Talent" in nearly four years, equaling the 3.5 rating for both last week and last season's "Talent" finale on September 16, 2009.

* "America's Got Talent" was the #1 show of the night Wednesday in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, adults 18-34, total viewers and other key measures. "Talent" ranked #1 in its hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and nearly all other key measures.

* The Wednesday edition of "Talent" has grown with each telecast so far this season in total viewers. "Talent" this week increased 5 percent in overall viewership versus the prior week and has grown by 25 percent or more than 2.5 million persons in total viewers since its Wednesday season debut on June 2.

* Also on Wednesday, an encore telecast of "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 among the major networks in the 8 p.m. ET hour in total viewers, men 18-49 and men 25-54.

* Additionally on Wednesday, a rebroadcast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" ranked #1 among the major networks in the hour in adults 18-49 and all other key demographics with its top 18-49 rating since June 2.

* NBC ranked #1 in primetime Wednesday in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and most other key ratings categories.

* On Thursday, "The Office" filed its highest 18-49 rating since June 10.

* On Friday, "Friday Night Lights" won the 8 p.m. ET hour in adults 18-49, marking the sixth straight week the critically acclaimed drama has ranked #1 or tied for #1 among the major network in the slot. "Lights" matched its highest 18-49 rating since May 14.

* Also on Friday, a "Dateline NBC" encore was the #1 major-network telecast of the night in 18-49. "Dateline" won the 9-11 p.m. ET slot in adults 18-49 and all other key demographics against mostly original competition on the major networks.

* NBC led Friday night in adults 18-49, winning six of six half-hours.

* Saturday's "Law & Order: SVU" encore won the 10 p.m. ET hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key categories.

* On Sunday, "Dateline NBC" tied for the 7-9 p.m. ET slot win in adults 18-49.

* Also on Sunday, "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular" scored three-year highs and delivered the #1 major-network results of the night in adults 18-49 and total viewers. Versus last year, the "Macy's" special is up 40 percent in 18-49 and 33 percent in total viewers.

* Sunday also saw "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" tie for the time-period win at 10 p.m. ET in adults 18-49.

* NBC was #1 Sunday night in adults 18-49.

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."

Additional NBC highlights for the week of June 28-July 4:

On Monday, June 21 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Persons Unknown" averaged a 0.9 rating, 3 share in adults 18-49 and 2.9 million viewers overall.

Monday from 9-11 p.m. ET, "Last Comic Standing" (1.6/5 in adults 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) ranked #1 among the major networks in its time period in men 18-34 and #2 in adults and women 18-34 and men 18-49. From its first hour to its second, "Last Comic Standing" increased by 31 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 1.7 from a 1.3) and by 25 percent in total viewers (to 4.4 million from 3.5 million).

For its second hour from 10-11 p.m. ET, "Last Comic Standing" ranked #1 among the major networks in adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and all key adult-male demographics.

On Tuesday, June 29 at 8 p.m. ET, "Losing It With Jillian" (1.3/4 in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall) gained 8 percent versus the prior week in both 18-49 rating (1.3 vs.1.2) and total viewers (4.0 million vs. 3.7 million). From its first half-hour to its second, this week's "Losing It" increased 8 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.3 from a 1.2).

Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. ET, "America's Got Talent" (2.9/9 in adults 18-49, 10.2 million viewers overall) was the #1 program of the night in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures, on a night with such primetime competition as Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" and ABC's "Wipeout" and "Downfall" on ABC. "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 in its time period in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures.

From its first half-hour to its second, "Talent" increased by 23 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 3.2/9 from a 2.6/8) and by 23 percent or 2.1 million persons in total viewers (to 11.3 million from 9.2 million), easily the biggest gain among the major networks in the time period.

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