On a night with serious competition from an instant-classic NFL game, the American Music Awards hit a four-year viewer high, delivering its second-biggest audience in 11 years.
The 2013 AMAs rose by 32 percent in ratings in the key demo, and by 36 percent in total viewers year-to-year. But the performance-packed awards show was no match for Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady on NBC. Neither was CBS’s “The Amazing Race,” which hit an all-time ratings low.
NBC was first in ratings with a 7.0 rating/17 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and first in total viewers with an average of 19.6 million, according to preliminary numbers. Part 1 of “Football Night in America” at 7 earned a 2.4/7 and 7.5 million viewers. Part 2 at 7:30 got a 3.8/10 and 10.7 million viewers. At 8, Part 3 received a 6.3/16 and 18.8. The game itself at 8:30 had an 8.8/20 and 24 million viewers — making it the highest-rated and most-watched telecast of the night.
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ABC and Fox tied for second in ratings, each with a 3.7/9. ABC was second in viewers with 11.4 million. Fox was fourth in viewers with 9.8 million.
For ABC, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” at 7 earned a 1.5/4 and 6.7 million viewers. At 8, the AMAs earned a 4.5/11 — up 32 percent from prior year — and 12.9 million viewers, an increase of 36 percent.
For Fox, an NFL overrun at 7 earned a 7.3/21 and 22 million viewers. At 7:30, the overrun continued into “The OT,” which got a 6.2/16 and 17.6 million viewers. “The Simpsons” at 8 earned a 2.9/7 — a 61 percent increase — and 6.7 million viewers. At 8:30, “Bob’s Burgers” received a 1.9/4 — a 27 percent increase — and 4 million viewers. “Family Guy” at 9 got a 2.2/5 and 4.5 million viewers. “American Dad” at 9:30 had a 1.8/4 and 3.8 million viewers.
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CBS was in fourth in ratings with a 1.5/4 and third in total viewers with 9.8 million. At 7, “60 Minutes” earned a 1.6/4 and 11 million viewers. “The Amazing Race” at 8 received a 1.5/4 — down 25 percent — and 8 million viewers. “The Good Wife” at 9 got a 1.3/3 and 9.5 million viewers. “The Mentalist” at 10 received a 1.5/4 and 10.6 million viewers.
Univision was fifth in ratings with a 1.2/3 and in viewers with 3.5 million.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.7/2 and in total viewers with 1.5 million.