Fast National ratings for Sunday, May 20, 2012.
Tom Selleck’s latest Jesse Stone telefilm “Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt” drew a big, conspicuously old audience on Sunday night, simultaneously giving CBS an overall primetime win and pushing the network to last among young viewers. ABC’s coverage of the 2012 Billboard Music Awards didn’t draw nearly as big an audience, but that telecast still led the way in the all-important demographic.
For the night, ABC averaged a 2.4 rating among adults 18-49, tops in the key demographic. FOX was second with a 1.9 rating, followed by NBC’s 1.6 rating. CBS trailed in the key demo with a 1.3 rating.
Overall, though, CBS won the night in a walk, averaging 11.32 million viewers and a 7.3 rating/12 share. ABC was a distant second with a 4.2/7 and 6.98 million viewers. NBC’s 3.5/6 and 5.55 million viewers finished third, still well ahead of FOX’s 2.3/4 and 4.06 million viewers.
7 p.m. – CBS started primetime in first overall with the 9.61 million viewers for “60 Minutes,” which was second among adults 18-49 with a 1.4 rating. ABC’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos” was second with 5.82 million viewers and won the hour with a 1.5 key demo rating. NBC was third overall with the 3.355 million viewers for “America’s Got Talent,” which finished fourth with a 0.7 key demo rating. FOX was fourth overall and third in the key demo with a “Simpsons” repeat (2.39 million and a 1.0 key demo) and “The Cleveland Show” (3.03 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo).
8 p.m. – A second hour of “60 Minutes” was first overall in the 8 p.m. hour with 10.12 million viewers, but third among adults 18-49 with a 1.5 rating. ABC’s 2012 Billboard Music Awards finished second overall with 7.07 million viewers and won the hour with a 2.4 key demo rating. NBC’s repeat of “America’s Got Talent” remained third with 5.21 million viewers and fourth with a 1.3 key demo. FOX was second in the key demo and fourth overall with “The Simpsons” (4.79 million viewers and a 2.1 key demo) and “Bob’s Burgers” (3.57 million and a 1.7 key demo).
9 p.m. – The first hour of “Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt” drew a strong 13.05 million viewers for CBS, but the telefilm was fourth for the hour with a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49. ABC’s 2012 Billboard Music Awards coverage went up to 8.03 million viewers and an hour-winning 2.9 key demo rating. The first hour of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” finale averaged 6.72 million viewers and a 2.1 key demo rating, both good for third. FOX’s “Family Guy” averaged 5.29 million viewers for fourth and a 2.5 key demo rating for second.
10 p.m. – The second hour of “Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt” slipped to 12.48 million viewers and a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49 for CBS. ABC’s Billboard Music Awards telecast was second with 7 million viewers and won the hour with a 2.6 key demo rating. NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” was a close third with 6.92 million viewers and second with a 2.2 key demo rating.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.