• by Wayne Friedman , April 5, 2019

Through 27 weeks of the TV season -- with lower overall prime-time ratings industrywide versus a year ago -- CBS remains tops in total viewers. NBC and Fox are tied for the virtual top spot among the key 18-49 viewers favored by national advertisers.

NBC is at a 1.7 rating/8 share, while Fox is at 1.7/7 through April 2. CBS is just a tick behind both networks at 1.6/7, followed by ABC at 1.3/6, Univision with 0.5/2; Telemundo at 0.4/2 and The CW with 0.4/2.

CBS has 9.1 million total viewers, followed by NBC at 7.6 million and Fox with 5.9 million, ABC at 5.7 million, Univision at 1.40 million, CW with 1.36 million and Telemundo at 1.2 million.

Data comes from Nielsen's live program-plus-same day viewing for the most recent weeks, and live program-plus-seven day viewing.

A year ago -- season-to-date -- NBC was at 9.6 million viewers (with a 2.4 rating/10 share in 18-49 viewers), followed by CBS at 9.01 million viewers (1.6/6); ABC, 6.0 million (1.5/6); Fox, 5.3 million (1.6/6); The CW, 1.7 million (0.6/2); Univision, 1.6 million (0.5/2); and Telemundo, 1.3 million (0.5/2).

So far, CBS and Fox have seen better results this year. CBS has inched up in total viewers versus a year ago (9.1 million vs. 9.01 million), as well as with 18-49 viewers -- at 1.6/7 versus 1.6/6. Fox is also higher, with 5.9 million viewers versus 5.3 million and 1.7/7 versus 1.6/6 in 18-49 viewers.

Fox’s gains are largely attributable to the reality show “The Masked Singer.” A year ago, NBC had the Winter Olympics as well as the Super Bowl, thus accounting for its big viewing decline.

CBS’ “Big Bang Theory” remains the top TV broadcast network entertainment show, looking at Nielsen live program-plus three days (L3) of time-shifted viewing. "Big Bang" averages 16.5 million viewers (September 24, 2018 through March 31, 2019).

For “Big Bang” in its final season, this is 27% more viewing from its live program-plus-same day viewing (L1) number of 13 million.

CBS’ “NCIS” comes in at 15 million viewers looking at L3 data, with CBS’ “Young Sheldon” at 14 million. CBS’ “Blue Bloods” has 12.3 million; NBC’s “This Is Us,” 12.2 million; and NBC’s “American Got Talent: Champions” has 11.9 million.

After these top six, the tally is: CBS’ “The FBI,” 11.7 million; ABC’s “Good Doctor” at 11.2 million; NBC’s “Manifest,” 11.1 million; NBC’s “The Voice” (Monday), 11.0 million; and Fox’s “The Masked Singer” at 10.9 million.

The top 21 TV network dramas average a 53% increase in viewers when it comes to gains in L3 program data from L1.

Top 18-49 performers are Fox’s “The Masked Singer” with a 3.5 rating/15 share for L3 data; “Big Bang Theory” with a 3.4 rating/15 share; and NBC’s “This Is Us” with a 3.3 rating/13 share. ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” has a 2.6/12; “Young Sheldon,”  a 2.5/10; and Fox’s “911,” a 2.2/9. Three shows are tied with a 2.1/9: “Modern Family,” “New Amsterdam” and “The Good Doctor.”

Fox’s “Singer” has helped push the network's results high in overall 18-49 prime-time numbers.