• by Wayne Friedman , March 8, 2013

NBC continues to have a tough first quarter through January 13, but it still led all broadcast and cable networks in the audience measure that matters most to advertisers: 18-49 viewers through Nielsen's C3 data.

It was at 3.5 million 18-49 viewers -- up 14% versus a year ago,  looking at data from September 24, 2012 through January 13. NBC had been up over 20% in the middle of the fourth quarter.

Fox was in second place at 2.6 million 18-49 viewers, off some 19%. CBS was next at 2.5 million, losing 21%, followed by ABC at 2.4 million, slipping 11%. Univision was next in fifth place -- up from sixth place a year ago at 1.8 million 18-49 viewers and up 2% from a year ago.

Cable networks came next: ESPN was tops here (and sixth overall) at 1.7 million, dropping 3%. TBS followed at 1.0 million, 2% lower than the same time a year ago. USA was in third place (eighth place overall) at 852,000, off 14%. Further down the list, mini-broadcast network CW was at 668,000 -- losing 10% versus the same period a year ago.

Overall viewership numbers fared better for all networks versus a year ago: CBS was the leader here, down 11% to 9.1 million viewers in Nielsen's C3 ratings. NBC was 14% higher to 8.0 million, and ABC was down 9% to 6.8 million; Fox was off 20% to 5.9 million.

Univision climbed 5% to 3.50 million; ESPN slipped 3% to 3.47 million; USA fell 9% to 2.4 million; Nickelodeon was sharply down 18% to 2.0 million; Fox News, 17% higher to 1.93 million; TBS, 1% improved to 1.90 million. Mini-broadcaster CW was ranked at 15th place in total C3 viewers at 1.4 million -- flat versus a year ago.

Young viewers 18-34 gave NBC top honors -- 1.5 million, up 14%. Fox, the perennial leader, was next at the halfway point of the season -- 1.3 million, down 14%. ABC was next at 958,000, down 9%. CBS gave up much ground here, 22%, settling at 855,000; and Univision sank 14% to 848,000.

ESPN was the top 18-34 network here with 802,000, off 5% from a year ago.

advertisement

advertisement