NBC’s first crack at the Billboard Music Awards saw a decline from last year, when the broadcast special aired on ABC.
Still, NBC easily finished No. 1 among adults 18-49 on Sunday. CBS averaged the largest overall audience last night, airing its season finales for “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Madam Secretary.”
In early Nielsen numbers last night’s BBMAs posted a 2.1 rating/8 share in the key 18-49 demographic and 7 million total viewers, compared to 2017’s 2.3 and 7.7 million viewers.
According to timezone-adjusted data that was available later Monday, this year’s show hit a 2.4 rating in the 18-49 range and 7.9 million viewers overall, marking an all-time low in the key demo, but not in total viewers.
NBC was first in ratings with a 1.8 rating/7 share in the advertiser-coveted demo and second in total viewers with an average of 6.5 million, according to preliminary numbers. “Dateline NBC” at 7 p.m. had a 0.9/4 and 5 million viewers. The Billboard awards followed and ran throughout the rest of primetime.
ABC was second in ratings with a 1.0/4 and third in viewers with 5.9 million. The “America’s Funniest Home Videos” season finale at 7 got a 0.9/4 and 5.3 million viewers. A two-hour “American Idol” starting at 8 received a 1.3/5 and 7.4 million viewers. At 10, “Deception” managed a 0.6/2 and 3.3 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 0.8/3, but first in viewers with 7.5 million. At 7, “60 Minutes” clocked in to a 0.8/4 and 8.2 million viewers. The two-hour “NCIS: Los Angeles” season finale starting at 8 averaged a 0.8/3 and 7.8 million viewers. The “Madam Secretary” season-closer at 10 settled for a 0.6/3 and 6.2 million viewers.
Fox was fourth in ratings with a 0.7/3 and in viewers with 1.7 million. Following a repeat at 7, a fresh “Bob’s Burgers” at 7:30 had a 0.7/3 and 1.6 million viewers. At 8, “The Simpsons” season finale put up a 0.8/4 and 2.1 million viewers. At 8:30, the Season 5-ender for “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (the last finale it will see on Fox before moving to NBC) earned a 0.8/3 and 1.8 million viewers. “Family Guy” closed its season run at 9 with a 0.9/3 and 1.9 million viewers. At 9:30, “Bob’s Burgers” went out for the 2017-18 slate with a 0.8/3 and 1.6 million viewers.
Univision was fifth in ratings with a 0.4/2 and in viewers with 1.1 million.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in viewers with 918,000.
The CW does not currently nationally program Sunday nights.