Jay Leno Generates Season-High Margins Of Victory And Jimmy Fallon Delivers His Biggest Overall Audience In Nearly Two Years During The Week Of Dec. 19-23

The quarter ended with the week of December 19-23, during which Jay generated his biggest margins of the season over original competition from CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" and Jimmy Fallon attracted his biggest overall audience (2.0 million viewers) in nearly two years.

"Tonight's" 3.8 million viewers overall for the fourth quarter topped the 3.3 million for CBS's "Late Show" and also out-delivered ABC's combination of "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." At 12:35 a.m. ET, Jimmy Fallon's 1.8 million out-scored the 1.6 million for CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and Jimmy also delivered a bigger audience than ABC's "Kimmel" both during their head-to-head half-hour and comparing full-duration results.

For the fourth quarter of 2011, "Tonight" increased its total-viewer margin over "Late Show" to 13 percent (3.761 million vs. 3.327 million), up from the year-ago advantage of 8 percent. Jimmy Fallon established a total-viewer lead over "Late Late Show" for the quarter of 15 percent (1.812 million vs. 1.569 million) after trailing by 2 percent one year ago. Jimmy also increased his fourth-quarter lead over "Late Late Show" in adults 18-34 to 44 percent (302,000 vs. 209,000), up from last year's 25 percent, and in adults 25-54 up to 8 percent (883,000 vs. 814,000) from 1 percent for the fourth quarter of 2010.

The fourth quarter concluded during the week of December 19-23, with "Tonight" topping "Late Show" by a margin of 19 percent in viewers 18-49 (1.136 million vs. 955,000) and by 23 percent in total viewers (3.866 million vs. 3.137 million), Jay's biggest margins over a week of "Late Show" originals so far this season.

At 12:35 a.m. ET for the week of December 19-23, Jimmy Fallon generated his biggest 18-49 audience (771,000) in 15 weeks (since September 5-9) and biggest overall audience (2.025 million) in 23 months (since the week of January 18-22, 2010).

At 1:35 a.m. ET for the week of December 19-23, "Last Call with Carson Daly" attracted its biggest overall audience (1.057 million) in 15 weeks (since September 5-9). It's the fourth consecutive week "Last Call" has delivered more than 1 million viewers overall.


WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of December 19-23. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Fourth-quarter figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day.")

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Tonight," 0.9 rating, 3 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.7/3

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC "Nightline," 0.8/3　

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC "Kimmel," 0.4/2 (in encore telecasts)


12:35-1:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Late Night," 0.6/3

CBS "Late Late Show," 0.4/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET

NBC "Last Call," 0.3/2*


TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Tonight," 3.9 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 3.1 million viewers

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC "Nightline," 3.4 million viewers

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC "Kimmel," 1.4 million viewers (in encore telecasts)

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Late Night," 2.0 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.4 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET

NBC "Last Call," 1.1 million viewers*

* Monday's "Last Call" was an encore.

* Monday's "Last Call" was an encore.
　

FOURTH QUARTER/ SEASON TO DATE
ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 0.9 rating, 3 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.9/3

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC "Nightline," 0.9/3

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC "Kimmel," 0.5/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Late Night," 0.6/3
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.5/3

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.3/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Tonight," 3.8 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 3.3 million viewers 　

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC "Nightline," 3.9 million viewers

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC "Kimmel," 1.8 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET

NBC "Late Night," 1.8 million viewers

CBS "Late Late Show," 1.6 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET

NBC "Last Call," 1.0 million viewers


ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF DECEMBER 19-23


NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, "The Daily Show," 0.3 (in encore telecasts)

Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 0.3 (in encore telecasts)

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.5

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.1

Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.6

　
Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.28 million viewers


TOTAL VIEWERS

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. "The Daily Show," 0.7 million (in encore telecasts)

Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 0.6 million (in encore telecasts)

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 1.0 million

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 2.3 million

Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.4 million