CBS, ’60 Minutes’ again get most weekly television viewership

By Steven Herbert

CBS had seven of the week’s eight most-watched programs, topped by “60 Minutes,” to finish first in the network race for the fifth consecutive week, eighth time in nine weeks and 10th time in 12 weeks, according to live-plus-same-day figures released by Nielsen Tuesday.

“60 Minutes” averaged 7.376 million viewers for a broadcast consisting of an interview with author David Grann and a double-length segment on Google’s advancements in artificial intelligence, to be the only prime-time program between April 10 and Sunday to average more than 7 million viewers.

The first-place finish was “60 Minutes”‘ third in five weeks. CBS’ coverage of the NCAA men’s Final Four accounted for the other two first-place finishes during that span.

CBS had five of the other six programs to top 6 million viewers — “Young Sheldon” (6.883 million); “FBI” (6.837 million); “NCIS” (6.832 million); “The Equalizer” (6.527 million); and “Ghosts” (6.257 million).

The most-watched non-CBS program was ABC’s coverage of the Sacramento Kings’ 126-123 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference first-round series Saturday that averaged 6.257 million viewers, tying “Ghosts” for sixth.

The game was the most-watched opening Saturday night playoff game on ABC all time and Saturday’s most-watched program among all day parts.

CBS averaged 4.5 million viewers for the week.

NBA playoffs coverage enabled ABC to end its four-week, post-Oscars streak of third-place finishes among the broadcast networks, as it finished second, averaging 3.44 million viewers. Its most-watched non-NBA program was the Sunday edition of “American Idol,” ninth for the week, averaging 5.35 million viewers.

NBC dropped to third following four consecutive second-place finishes, averaging 2.5 million viewers for a schedule that included a recap show of “The Voice,” and reruns of its three Chicago series and three “Law & Order” series.

“The Voice” was NBC’s most-watched show, averaging 4.022 million viewers, 22nd among the week’s broadcast and cable programs.

Fox averaged 1.82 million viewers for its 15 hours, 48 minutes of programming. The procedural drama “9-1-1” was its most-watched program, averaging 4.477 million viewers, 19th for the week. Each of the four original episodes of “9-1-1” to air in 2023 have been Fox’s most-watched program of the week.

The CW averaged 360,000 viewers for its 14 hours of programming. The superhero drama “Superman & Lois” was its most-watched program for the fourth time in the five weeks it has aired this season, averaging 649,000 viewers, tying for 147th among broadcast programs with the Friday episode of the 1962-71 CBS comedy, “The Beverly Hillbillies” on MeTV.

The 20 most-watched prime-time programs consisted of “60 Minutes”; 12 CBS scripted programs and its alternative series “Survivor”; three ABC alternative programs — the April 10 and Sunday editions of “American Idol” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos; two NBA playoff games — one each on ABC and TNT; and “9-1-1.”

The most-watched cable program was TNT’s coverage of the Clippers’ 115-110 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference first-round series Sunday which averaged 5.035 million viewers, 12th overall.

Fox News Channel was the most-watched cable network for the third consecutive week and 11th time in 12 weeks, averaging 2.09 million viewers. TNT was second, averaging 1.711 million, and MSNBC third, averaging 1.252 million. ESPN was the other cable network to average more than 1 million viewers for its prime-time programming, averaging 1.155 million.

The cable prime-time top 20 consisted of four NBA playoff games on TNT; four NBA Play-In Tournament games — two each on ESPN and TNT; 10 Fox News Channel weeknight political talk shows — five broadcasts of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” four of “Hannity” and one of “The Ingraham Angle”; History’s long-running chronicle of a search for treasure on a Canadian island, “The Curse of Oak Island”; and the MSNBC news and opinion program, “The Rachel Maddow Show.”

“The Night Agent” was Netflix’s most-watched title for the fourth consecutive week, with viewers watching the 10-episode action thriller for 90.04 million hours in the third full week it was available, increasing its total since release to 605.62 million hours, sixth on the all-time list, which is based on viewership during the first 28 days of release.

The Thai film “Hunger,” about a private chef team, was Netflix’s most-watched movie, despite not being available in the United States, with 43.58 million viewing hours in its first full week of release.

Netflix’s most-watched English-language film was “The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die,” with viewers watching the action-adventure film based on the series “The Last Kingdom,” for 35.5 million hours in its first three days of release.

The most-watched Spanish-language program was Friday’s episode of the Univision telenovela “Cabo,” which averaged 1.705 million viewers, 63rd among broadcast programs. Its overall ranking was not available.

Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network for the 36th consecutive week and 174th time in 176 weeks, averaging 1.29 million viewers. Telemundo was second, averaging 990,000 viewers, followed by UniMas (360,000) and Estrella TV (70,000).

ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” was the most-watched nightly newscast for 175th time in 176 weeks and 227th time in 229 weeks, averaging 7.583 million viewers.

“NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” was second, averaging 6.183 million viewers. The “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” was third, averaging 4.392 million viewers.

The week’s 10 most-watched prime-time programs were CBS’ “60 Minutes,” “Young Sheldon,” “FBI,” “NCIS” and “The Equalizer.” ABC’s coverage of Saturday’s Sacramento-Golden State NBA playoff game tied for sixth with “Ghosts,” followed by CBS’ “FBI: International”; the Sunday edition of ABC’s “American Idol”; and CBS’ “Survivor.”

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