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returns with a hefty roar But writer-less Jay Leno sees the biggest gains Jan 4, 2008
NBC and CBS’s programs were all well above their previous season averages, according to Nielsen fast nationals. Leno averaged a 7.19 million total viewers, up 66 percent over the program’s 4.32 million season average in the 11:35 p.m. slot. (All averages include reruns during the strike.) It marked the show’s best outing since December 2006 and its best Wednesday viewership in almost three years. At 12:35 p.m., O’Brien averaged 2.83 million total viewers, 55 percent above his season average of 1.83 million. It was the show’s best outing since February of last year and its best Wednesday in more than a year. CBS’s two late-night shows also saw big improvements versus their season averages. Both returned with writing staffs after an independent deal was struck between Worldwide Pants, which produces the shows, and the Writers Guild of America. Airing at 11:35 p.m., Letterman averaged a season-high 5.5 million total viewers, 52 percent better than his season-to-date average of 3.61 million though still well behind regular late-night leader Leno. “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” averaged 2.24 million at 12:35 p.m., more than a half million behind O’Brien but 31 percent above his season-to-date average of 1.71 million. Usual third-place finisher “Jimmy Kimmel Live” also returned at 12:05 a.m. Likely because of the stronger-than-usual competition, the ABC show was actually 5 percent below its season to date average of 1.84 million, drawing 1.75 million. The CBS and NBC shows no doubt got much of their rise from fans who have missed watching fresh late-night programming the past three months, when ratings for reruns plummeted. But NBC’s especially strong night suggests that perhaps viewers were more interested in seeing how the comedians would do without writing staffs. Leno, O’Brien and Kimmel returned without writers after their respective networks threatened to lay off their remaining staff, and the WGA has bitterly protested their returns despite repeated assertions by all three that they support the guild. Leno and the WGA are now battling over whether he can write for himself. Thus viewers may have been curious to see what a show without writers looks like. Can late-night hosts be as witty without a writing staff? Both Leno, a stand-up veteran, and O’Brien still managed some good zingers, especially when riffing on the strike and its consequences, and the curiosity factor could keep people tuning in to these shows for some time, if the lack of big-name guests doesn’t drive them away. The Screen Actors Guild, which has stood in solidarity with the WGA, is reportedly encouraging its members to stick to union-approved late-night shows until the strike is over, meaning those on CBS. Wednesday night Leno’s big guest, Mike Huckabee, was a politician, while Letterman landed Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams. Meanwhile, during Christmas week, viewership for the late-night reruns remained below average. Leno finished first for the week, averaging 3.8 million total viewers and a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49. CBS’s Letterman had 3.7 million viewers and a 1.1 rating in the demo, with ABC’s “Nightline” bringing in 3.3 million viewers and a 1.0 18-49 rating. In late-late night, Ferguson had 1.7 million total viewers and a 0.6 in 18-49s, with Kimmel and O’Brien each at 1.6 million viewers and a 0.6, and NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” bringing in 1.0 million viewers and a 0.4 among 18-49s. In other dayparts for the week ended Dec.23, NBC’s “Meet the Press” was first among the Sunday morning shows in total viewers with 3.53 million tuning in and first among viewers 25-54 with a 0.9 rating. CBS’s “Face the Nation” was second in viewers with nearly 2.59 million and tied for second among 25-54s with a 0.8, with ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” pulling 2.25 million viewers and a 0.7 among 25-54s. “Fox News Sunday” was fourth in viewers with 1.57 million and among 25-54s with a 0.6.
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