Every week we see press releases from ABC, NBC and CBS touting their late night ratings. In theirs, ABC’s skilled PR team makes the comparison between Nightline’s ratings (which runs from 11:30p-12a) and The Tonight Show and Late Show ratings (which each run from 11:30p-12:30a).
I always assumed that in the half hour they went head to head, that Nightline was getting beaten (perhaps badly) by the other two shows. As it turns out, the ratings in that half hour are a lot closer than I had thought.
Here is the average half hour ratings breakdown for last week (November 2-6):
11:30-midnight (Live+SD adults 18-49 ratings)
NBC Tonight Show: 1.0 rating
CBS Late Show: 1.0 rating
ABC Nightline: 1.0 rating
midnight-12:30am
NBC Tonight Show: 0.9 rating
CBS Late Show: 0.8 rating
ABC Jimmy Kimmel: 0.6 rating
While it’s only a single week, and it’s fair to continue to note that the Nightline ratings PR is still advantaged by comparing a 30 minute show to 60 minute shows, the magnitude of the advantage isn’t what I thought it was.
And to anticipate the question, we are not going to be getting regular half hourly late night ratings.
very interesting… well done
I really wish that ABC would try to craft a more sympatico lead-out to ‘Nightline’, and just cut ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ loose once and for all. I’m going on memory, but I do think that the ‘Nightline’ follow-up program that had the best retention was ‘Politically Incorrect’.
Since Mr. Bill Maher is unlikely to again throw in his lot with the Alphabet, ABC should make a concerted effort to try and land Mr. Jon Stewart when his Comedy Central contract comes up, and build an ABC program that can retain and possibly build on the ‘Nightline’ audience, which is a very affluent, educated demographic.
Stewart would not take 1205 slot. Pretty sure he’ll be offered Letterman’s spot when Letterman retires.
Bill,
Thank you for posting the numbers. I’ve said it before, and this proves the point, a latenight show loses ratings as the the hour progresses. People go to bed!
Nightline legitimately competes in its timeslot against CBS and NBC, if it didn’t you would have seen the spin doctors (PR Departments) at CBS and NBC making note of that fact long ago. This also shows us why there is a huge ratings fall after the LATE SHOW and TONIGHT show are over. Again, people go to bed.
BTW, no latenight show begins at the half-hour.
ABC – NIGHTLINE airs from 11:35 PM to 12:05 AM followed by JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE from 12:05 AM to 1:05 AM.
CBS – THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN airs from 11:35 AM to 12:35 AM followed by THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON from 12:35 AM to 1:35 AM.
NBC – THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH CONAN O’BRIEN airs from 11:35 AM to 12:35 AM followed by LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON from 12:35 AM to 1:35 AM.
I have a hard time believing that Jon would want to host “The Late Show”. Letterman owns the and his company would be in the drivers seat. Stewart would most likely be pressured into the typical late night talk show format and would lose a lot of what is great with Daily Show. Its not very often that you have the typical hollywood type come in and bore the viewers to death on TDS.
Errol, I’ll be the nitpicker who points out that Dave runs to 12:37 and Craig is 12:37 to 1:37.
J.R. and Roland, I think that until recently, Stewart probably would have been offered Late Show and accepted it, because it’s the chance to succeed a legend, and he’s been on the Daily Show for awhile now and might be interested in a new challenge. However, with Craig having been beating Conan occasionally toward the end of Conan’s late night run, and with his success against Jimmy, I think Craig has probably edged ahead as a slight frontrunner for Late Show when Dave steps down.
When Jon finished his old show on MTV (”The Jon Stewart Show”), Letterman was his last guest in the mid 90’s. Jon also guest hosted on the Late Late Show with Tom Snyder, and was offered to be the permanent host when Tom stepped down. Jon declined, and was offered to Craig Kilborn.
Quite a bit of history between Dave and Jon, which is part of the reason why he is linked to succeed Dave.
I agree with Mark above, it can’t be a foregone conclusion based on Craig’s growing ratings and popularity, rightfully so.
@ Roland: If the fact that Worldwide Pants owns “The Late Show” is such a liability in getting a good host to succeed Dave, couldn’t CBS simply create a new show with a different name? Is there some kind of contract between Worldwide Pants and CBS that says that CBS has to continue to air “The Late Show” even after Dave’s contract expires?
How does Kimmel have a show to begin with? It’s NEVER and mean NEVERRRR made a dollar for the network, it’s not unique or engaging in any way and Kimmel himself is stiff as a board and lacks any skills away from just staring into his teleprompter. Plus I hear he’s a jerk to deal with. I would love to see Jon Stewart slide into that spot! Kimmel should be hosting stupid game shows on Spike, if even that.