• by Wayne Friedman , December 22, 2017

Through three months of the new TV season, NBC is again posting the best key ad-viewership data for traditional Nielsen rating measures. But it comes amid continued declines for TV networks.

Looking at prime-time live program/same day 18-49 adult ratings, NBC is down 11% to an average 2.4 Nielsen live-plus-same day rating.

NBC benefits from its top-rated “Sunday Night Football,” averaging 18.6 million total viewers -- down 4% from a year ago when looking at Nielsen live program ratings plus seven days of time-shifted viewing.

Fox and CBS are next -- Fox is down 18% to a 1.8 average rating, while CBS lost 15% to 1.7.

ABC is down 17% to 1.5, while the CW -- the only network to claim even status of 18-49 viewers a year ago for a 0.7 rating.

Total viewer declines offered a slightly better picture. Through the first 12 weeks, from a year ago, CBS is down 5% to 9.8 million; NBC lost 6% to 9.2 million; ABC is down 11% to 6.3 million; Fox sunk 14% to 6 million; and CW inched down 3% to 1.9 million.

Even when including more ad-centric, average commercial ratings with three days of time-shifted viewing (C3), broadcast -- and cable networks -- generally posted double-digit percentage declines.

For example, in November, MoffettNathanson Research says that in prime time, broadcast networks were down 16% (to 8.3 million); and cable networks, lost 11% (to 15.5 million).