Day 4 of the 2012 Olympics and it marks the fourth straight night where London outrates Beijing. Last night’s final rating resulted in a 21.8 number and a 35 share. That’s 9% better than Beijing which had a 20.0/34 that Beijing garnered for the first Tuesday night of the Communist China Games.
NBC points out it’s again the best rating for the first Tuesday of a non-US based Summer Olympics and its the best since the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
Average viewership for last night was 38.7 million which is the highest since the 1960 Rome Olympics. That’s big. I can be snarky about the tape delays and people wanting to watch despite them, but I don’t have the time. You can comment below if you wish.
Here’s the NBC announcement.
21.8 NATIONAL RATING FOR LAST NIGHT IS HIGHEST HOUSEHOLD RATING FOR ANY NIGHT OF A SUMMER OLYMPICS SINCE THE 1996 ATLANTA GAMES
38.7 Million Viewers Last Night is Most for the First Tuesday for any Non-U.S. Summer Olympics in the History of Televised Summer Olympics (1960)
35.6 Million Average Viewers and a 19.5/33 Household Rating for the First 5 Nights of the London Olympics is Most for any Non-U.S. Summer Olympics in 36 Years
21.8 Household Rating is Best for a Tuesday Night Telecast on ANY Network Since Salt Lake Games in 2002
Through 5 Days, 168.1 Million Americans Have Watched the Olympics on the Networks of NBCUniversal
7.7 Million Watch NBC’s Daytime Show; 6.7 Million Tune in to Late NightLONDON – August 1, 2012 – Last night’s primetime coverage on NBC (8-11:43 p.m. ET/PT) earned a 21.8/35 national rating/share, the highest-rated night in ANY Summer Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games, and drew 38.7 million viewers, the most for the first Tuesday of a non-U.S. Summer Games in the history of televised Summer Olympics (Rome, 1960).
The household (21.8) rating last night was the best Tuesday night telecast, on any network, since the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics (22.3 rating on 2/19/02).
- Last night’s 21.8/35 household rating is nine percent higher than the first Tuesday night of the Beijing Olympics (20.0/34), and 19 percent higher than the first Tuesday night in Athens in 2004 (18.3/30), the last European Summer Olympics.
- The five-night average household rating of 19.5/33 is the highest for any non-U.S. Summer Olympics through the first Tuesday since the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The average rating is 10 percent higher than Beijing (17.8/31) and 27 percent higher than Athens (15.4/27).
With 38.7 million viewers, last night was the most-watched first Tuesday for any non-U.S. Olympics in the history of televised Olympics (Rome 1960). The viewership is 4.7 million more than the first Tuesday night of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (34.0 million), and is 8.6 million more than the first night of the 2004 Athens Olympics (30.1 million), the last European Summer Olympics.
Through the first Tuesday of the London Olympics, NBC is averaging 35.6 million viewers, the most of any non-U.S. Summer Olympics since the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The 35.6 million is 4.3 million more viewers than Beijing (31.3 million) and nearly 10 million more than Athens (25.8 million).
Through 5 days, 168.1 million Americans have watched the Olympics on the networks of NBCUniversal, ahead of Beijing’s 167.8 at the same point through the Games.
NBC’S DAYTIME AND LATE NIGHT VIEWERSHIP SOARS:
- NBC’s daytime coverage yesterday drew and average 7.7 million viewers and a household rating/share of 5.4/15 (10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. ET/PT). There is no direct comparison to any past Olympics.
- For Beijing, the 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET/PT daytime program drew an average of 5.9 million viewers and had a household rating/share of 4.3/14.
- In Athens, the 12:30-4 p.m. ET/PT program drew an average of 5.1 million viewers and had a household rating/share of 3.8/12.
- The late night program (12:45-1:28 a.m. ET/PT) drew 6.7 million viewers, 22% higher than the comparable night in Beijing (5.5 million). The household rating of 4.6/15 is 15% higher than the same night in Beijing (4.0/17).
FIVE-DAY METERED MARKET AVERAGE:
1. Salt Lake City — 27.1/48
2. Kansas City — 25.4/41
3. Denver — 25.2/47
4. Milwaukee — 25.1/42
5. San Diego — 25.0/44
6. Columbus — 24.5/41
7. Indianapolis –24.3/41
8. Norfolk — 23.8/37
9. Richmond — 23.6/38
10. West Palm Beach — 23.0/38
T11. Washington — 22.9/41
T11. Oklahoma City — 22.9/36
T13. Minneapolis — 22.6/42
T13. Austin — 22.6/40
15. Albuquerque — 22.5/37
16. Ft. Myers — 22.3/39
T17. Sacramento — 22.2/41
T17. St. Louis — 22.2/37
T17. Portland — 22.2/45
T17. Nashville — 22.2/35
That’s all.
