“MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD” WINS FEBRUARY, #1 FOR THIRD STRAIGHT MONTH

Beats Competition by Double-Digits Across the Board for February

Wins 2018 February Sweep Across the Board, Second Straight Sweeps Win

Most-Watched Sunday Show Across the Board for Fifth Straight Week

FEBRUARY 27, 2018 – “Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” (MTP) was the #1 most-watched Sunday show across the board for the month of February, according to Nielsen Media Research data, marking its third straight month at #1 and its second straight sweeps win.

3.986 million total viewers tuned into MTP in February, beating its competition by double-digits: ABC’s “This Week” by +29 percent (+896,000) and CBS’ “Face the Nation” by +12 percent (+418,000). Compared to last year, MTP improved its advantage over CBS by +28 percent (+92,000) and ABC by +24 percent (+175,000), marking its biggest February advantage over ABC in seven years. Compared to last month, MTP improved its advantage over CBS by +117 percent (+226,000) and ABC by +63 percent (+348,000). February is the third straight month that MTP is #1 in total viewers.

MTP continues to dominate the demo most valued by news advertisers with 1.200 million A25-54 viewers tuning into the program for February. MTP outperformed its competition by double-digits: +46 percent (+369,000) more than ABC and +56 percent (+432,000) more than CBS, which only rates for the first 30 minutes of its hour-long broadcast. February was the fifth straight month that MTP has beaten ABC and the 25th straight month that MTP has beaten CBS in the key demo. MTP was the only Sunday show to grow month-over-month in the key demo. Compared to last year, MTP improved its advantage over CBS by +20 percent (+72,000) and ABC by +13 percent (+44,000), and posted its biggest February advantages over ABC in nine years and CBS in 11 years.

MTP won the 2018 February Sweep across the board, marking its second consecutive sweep period at #1 and its best streak among A25-54 viewers in almost nine years (since May 2009).

MTP was also the most-watched Sunday show across the board this past Sunday, February 25, marking its fifth straight week at #1. Sunday’s show featured exclusive interviews with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who said he was “very skeptical” about raising the gun purchase age and that his bipartisan gun legislation wouldn’t “solve all problems”; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) who said that fining social media companies “would be a great idea”; and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

3.646 million total viewers tuned into MTP on Sunday: +14 percent (+444,000) more than ABC and five percent (+184,000) more than CBS. This marks MTP’s 46th straight win over ABC and fifth straight win over CBS. MTP was also the most-watched broadcast in the demo most valued by news advertisers for its twelfth straight broadcast, beating both ABC and CBS by double-digits. As the only Sunday public affairs program to deliver more than one million demo viewers, 1.133 million A25-54 viewers tuned in: +30 percent (+259,000) more than ABC and +49 percent (+374,000) more than CBS.

Season-to-date, MTP is the #1 most-watched Sunday show across-the-board for the first time in seven years (since 2010-11).

MTP continues to dominate the influential Washington, D.C. market, outperforming its competition across the board and winning every Sunday with total viewers for almost three straight years (since March 22, 2015).

An additional 703,000 total viewers and 151,000 A25-54 viewers watched the Sunday program through a rebroadcast on MSNBC.

Tune into MSNBC’s “MTP Daily with Chuck Todd” weekdays at 5 p.m. ET for more, and follow the show on Facebook and on Twitter for the latest.

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NATIONAL AVERAGES – SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2018

FEBRUARY 2018 AVERAGES

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For more information contact:

Joya Manasseh
NBC News
o: (212) 664-2498
c: (917) 587-1284
e: joya.manasseh@nbcuni.com

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NBC NEWS’ “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 across the board for the 2016-2017 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, having celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017 with the launch of its first-ever film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute this November. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of “Meet the Press“; John Reiss is the executive producer.

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