Beats Competition by Double Digits Across the Board for 1Q’19 and March
#1 Across the Board for 16 Straight Months
Wins Sunday in Total Viewers and A25-54 Viewers; #1 in Key Demo for 61st Straight Broadcast
April 2, 2019 – Meet the Press with Chuck Todd (MTP) was the #1 most-watched Sunday show across the board for the first quarter of 2019 (1Q’19), the month of March and this past Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research.
1Q’19
MTP won the first quarter of 2019 across the board, marking its fifth consecutive quarter at #1 and the show’s best across-the-board streak since 3Q’11. Averaging 3.729 million total viewers, MTP outperformed its competition by double-digits: +22 percent (+671,000) more than ABC’s This Week and +10 percent (+326,000) more than CBS’ Face the Nation. MTP has beaten ABC in total viewers for 15 consecutive quarters. Compared to last quarter, MTP posted the biggest increase in total viewership (+410,000) and increased its advantages over both ABC (52 percent higher) and CBS (154 percent higher). Compared to the same quarter last year (1Q’18), MTP increased its total viewer lead over CBS by 11 percent.
The network broadcast also topped its competition by double-digits in the key demo with an average of 940,000 A25-54 viewers: +29 percent (+210,000) more than ABC and +26 percent (+194,000) more than CBS. This is MTP’s 13th consecutive quarter win in the key demo. Compared to last quarter, MTP posted the biggest gain of demo viewers (+103,000) and increased its lead over both ABC (23 percent higher) and CBS (85 percent higher).
MARCH 2019
MTP was also the #1 most-watched Sunday show across the board for the month of March, marking its 16th straight month at #1. 3.537 million total viewers tuned into MTP in March and the Sunday program topped both ABC and CBS by double-digits: +21 percent (+617,000) more than ABC and +10 percent (+324,000) more than CBS. Compared to last month, MTP increased its lead over CBS by 58 percent. Compared to last year, MTP increased its total viewer advantage over CBS grew by 20 percent.
MTP continues to dominate the demo most valued by news advertisers, winning its 18th consecutive month among A24-54 viewers. 874,000 key demo viewers tuned in for the month of March, as MTP again outperformed its competition by double-digits: +25 percent (+176,000) more than ABC and +22 percent (+160,000) more than CBS. Month-over-month, MTP increased its demo lead over CBS by 11 percent.
SUNDAY, MARCH 31
MTP was also the #1 most-watched Sunday show across the board this past Sunday, March 31, marking the show’s eighth straight win in total viewers and 61th straight win in the A25-54 demo.
Sunday’s broadcast featured exclusive interviews with Sen. John Barrasso, Sen. Dick Durbin and John Hickenlooper and averaged 3.246 million total viewers: +17 percent (+477,000) more than ABC and nine percent (+266,000) more than CBS. This marks the broadcast’s 41st straight win over ABC in total viewers and the 18th win over CBS out of the last 19 broadcasts.
MTP also won in the key demo for its 61st straight broadcast, topping both ABC and CBS by double-digits. 764,000 A25-54 demo viewers tuned into the Sunday program: +22 percent (+139,000) more than ABC and +13 percent (+88,000) more than CBS. This streak is longer than any other achieved in the Sunday Public Affairs category in the history of modern Nielsen ratings (since 1987). Compared to the same Sunday last year, MTP increased its lead over ABC by 92 percent.
Season-to-date, MTP is the #1 most-watched Sunday show across the board, delivering its best total viewer lead over ABC in seven years and CBS in eight years.
MTP continues to dominate the influential Washington, D.C. market, outperforming its competition combined across the board and winning every Sunday with total viewers for more than four straight years (since March 22, 2015).
An additional 746,000 total viewers and 156,000 A25-54 viewers watched the Sunday program through rebroadcasts on NBC and MSNBC.
Tune in to MSNBC’s MTP Daily weekdays at 5 p.m. for more from moderator Chuck Todd, and follow the broadcast on Facebook and on Twitter for the latest.
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NATIONAL AVERAGES – SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019
| Show Name | Net | Duration (minutes) | Total Viewers | A25-54 Viewers |
| MEET THE PRESS | NBC | 52 | 3,246 | 764 |
| FACE THE NATION HALF-HOUR | CBS | 30 | 2,981 | 676 |
| FACE THE NATION HOUR | CBS | 60 | 2,490 | 547 |
| THIS WEEK | ABC | 43 | 2,769 | 625 |
| FOX NEWS SUNDAY | FOX | 60 | 1,362 | 365 |
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For more information, contact:
Richard Hudock
NBC News
o: (202)
885-4159
e: Richard.Hudock@nbcuni.com
Joya Manasseh
NBC News
o: (212) 664-2498
c: (917) 587-1284
e: joya.manasseh@nbcuni.com
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MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD
Meet the Press with Chuck Todd is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2017-2018 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. Meet the Press brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with MTP Daily weekdays at 5 p.m. ET and to the 1947: The Meet the Press Podcast. It’s the longest-running show in television history, recently expanding its brand to include a political short-documentary film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of Meet the Press; John Reiss is the executive producer.
