'Colbert' Maintains Lead In Viewers Overall, Slight Edge In 18-49, Over 'Fallon'

As late-night talk shows continue to see overall viewing declines versus a year ago, CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” maintains a strong lead in total viewers, as well as a slight edge in key 18-49 viewers.

"Colbert" is averaging 3.85 million viewers, while NBC’s "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" garners 2.46 million and ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live" hits 2.1 million.

"Colbert" also beats "Fallon" in 18-49 viewers -- but just barely -- at 691,000 versus 673,000.

From a Nielsen rating and share point of view, both shows are dead even -- with a 0.54 rating/4 share for “Colbert” and a 0.52/4 for “Fallon.” “Kimmel” comes in at a 0.39/3.

These are Nielsen results for live program-plus seven days of time-shifted viewing from September 24, 2018 through April 5, 2019 and live program-plus-three days time-shifted ratings -- for the period from April 8 through April 15th.  

All three broadcast shows have seen declines in the 2017-2018 s
eason-to-date ratings of a year ago when “Colbert” was at 3.93 million viewers; “Fallon” came in at 2.75 million and “Kimmel” was at 2.30 million. Key 18-49 viewers also declined for all shows, with “Fallon” at a 0.68/4, “Colbert” at a 0.61/4, and “Kimmel” at a 0.48/3.

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Looking at later-night broadcast programming this season, NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” came in at 1.46 million viewers, followed by CBS’ “Late Late Show with James Corden; ABC’s “Nightline” with 1.30 million; and NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly” at 740,000.

Total national TV advertising dollars for the big three networks' 11:35 p.m. late-night shows are around $1 billion per year, according to industry estimates.

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