• by Wayne Friedman , August 20, 2014

Twelve weeks into the summer season, ABC and NBC are tied for the lead.

Both ABC and NBC have a Nielsen 1.4 rating/5 share among key 18-49 viewers. Both networks are down 7% versus the same time period a year ago.

Fox and CBS are next with Fox at 1.2/4, down 14%, and CBS slipping to a 1.1/4 -- off 8%. The CW is flat at a 0.3/1.
Total viewership shows a different picture, with every broadcast network but Fox either flat or gaining.

CBS is up 1% to 5.83 million prime-time viewers, while NBC is flat at 5.48 million viewers. ABC is up 1% to 5.10 million, and CW is 7% higher to 962,000.

ABC has seen strong results early on from the NBA Finals -- even though it aired a five-game series versus the seven-game series a year ago. The network averaged a 6.1/20 among 18-49 viewers -- the same average as the year before.

NBC continues to get positive results from “America’s Got Talent,” with its most recent Tuesday rating at a 2.0/7. CBS best is coming from “Big Brother,” a 2.2/7 for its recent Sunday outing. On Monday, Fox grabbed strong summer viewership ratings  from “MasterChef” with a 2.0/7.