Note: LateNighter generally posts late night daily ratings on a two (business) day delay, which is how they are released by Nielsen.
As is traditionally the case every two years, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon benefited greatly from an NBC Olympics Opening Ceremony coverage lead-in. This year’s Opening Ceremony allowed The Tonight Show to dominate the late-night landscape in the ratings on Friday, July 26, both in total viewers and Adults 18-49.
The Tonight Show, which was delayed by a half hour on Friday due to NBC’s Opening Ceremony coverage in primetime, averaged 2,451,000 total viewers with a whopping 566,000 P18-49 this past Friday, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s +87% and +211%, respectively, from the night before; +95% in total viewers and +149% in P18-49 from the previous Friday’s telecast (a rebroadcast). Nick Jonas, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Ice Spice appeared on Friday’s Fallon.
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (July 18, 2024 episode rebroadcast) averaged 926,000 total viewers with 129,000 P18-49 at 11:35 p.m. this past Friday, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s -20% and -25%, respectively, from Thursday; -6% but +8%, respectively, from the previous Friday’s Kimmel (a rebroadcast).
CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (July 8, 2024 episode rebroadcast) averaged 1,097,000 total viewers with 133,000 P18-49 this past Friday at 11:35 p.m., per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s -41% and -48%, respectively, from Thursday; but +16% and +2%, respectively, from the previous Friday’s telecast (a rebroadcast).
Following Colbert was a rebroadcast of After Midnight on CBS. The telecast (a June 5, 2024 episode rebroadcast) averaged 472,000 total viewers with 90,000 P18-49 viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s -14% and flat, respectively, from Thursday; +24% and +11%, respectively, from the previous Friday’s After Midnight (another rebroadcast).
Following Kimmel, ABC aired a new episode of Nightline, and it averaged 593,000 total viewers with 85,000 P18-49, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s -11% in total viewers and +8% in P18-49 viewers from Thursday’s episode; +2% and +44%, respectively, relative to the previous Friday’s Nightline.
NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers did not air on Friday, July 26.
Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)
| Network | Show Name | Viewers | % Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:35 PM | |||
| ABC | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (R, 7/18/24) | 129,000 | 1.87 |
| CBS | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (R, 7/8/24) | 133,000 | 1.92 |
| NBC | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | 566,000 | 9.94 |
| 12:35 AM | |||
| ABC | *Nightline | 85,000 | 1.63 |
| CBS | After Midnight (R, 6/5/24) | 90,000 | 1.85 |
* = 30-minute program
Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)
| Network | Show Name | Total Viewers | % Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:35 PM | |||
| ABC | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (R, 7/18/24) | 926,000 | 2.91 |
| CBS | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (R, 7/8/24) | 1,097,000 | 3.44 |
| NBC | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | 2,451,000 | 9.54 |
| 12:35 AM | |||
| ABC | *Nightline | 593,000 | 2.54 |
| CBS | After Midnight (R, 6/5/24) | 472,000 | 2.18 |
* = 30-minute program
© The Nielsen Company, used under license.
