Weds Ratings: Chicago-Based Shows See Gains Despite Delayed Start-Times

Note: LateNighter generally posts late night daily ratings on a two (business) day delay, which is how they are released by Nielsen.

Coverage of this week’s 2024 Democratic National Convention continued past 11:35 p.m. ET once again on Wednesday, pushing most late-night show start times beyond their traditional start times, although you wouldn’t necessarily know it from their ratings.

Broadcasting live from Chicago, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was the night’s biggest winner. The Wednesday, August 21 episode, which started at 12:21 a.m., averaged 1,748,000 total viewers with 275,000 P18-49, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s up +8% in total viewers and +61% in P18-49 viewers from the previous night’s Late Show (starting at 12:20 a.m. ET); -15% and +22%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode (which aired in the show’s usual 11:35 p.m. timeslot). Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Chicago native Chance the Rapper appeared on the program.

The other late-night program broadcasting from Chicago this week, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show also put up big numbers Wednesday night, having averaged 598,000 total viewers with 142,000 P18-49 at 11 p.m. That’s +29% and +82%, respectively, from Tuesday’s episode; +51% and +97%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode. Jordan Klepper hosted Wednesday’s Daily Show, welcoming Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to the program.

The other late night shows hosted Wednesday episodes from their home studios. Per Nielsen live plus same day data, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon didn’t start until 12:30 a.m. ET, and averaged 711,000 total viewers with only 87,000 P18-49. That’s -8% in total viewers, and -34% in P18-49 demo viewers from the previous day’s episode (which started at 12:25 a.m. ET); -41% and -58%, respectively, from the most recent Wednesday Tonight Show (airing in its usual timeslot). Jenna Ortega, and Jason Schwartzman both made guest appearances on Wednesday’s episode. Thomas Rhett performed.

RuPaul is guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, and his Wednesday episode averaged 861,000 total viewers with 117,000 P18-49 at 12:22 a.m. ET, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s +6% and +2%, respectively, from the previous day’s episode (also starting at 12:22 a.m. ET); but -5% and -10%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s Kimmel (in its usual timeslot). Diane Lane, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor made guest appearances on the program. Big Sean performed.

NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers averaged 534,000 total viewers with 86,000 P18-49 at 1:33 a.m., per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s +6% and +19% from the previous day’s episode (which started at 1:28 a.m.); but -36% and -39%, respectively, from the most recent Wednesday episode (which aired in its usual 12:35 a.m. slot). Channing Tatum and Sabrina Ionescu made guest appearances on Wednesday’s Late Night.

Following The Late Show, CBS’ After Midnight re-aired its July 16, 2024 episode beginning at 1:23 a.m., and it averaged 586,000 total viewers with 119,000 P18-49, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s +9% and +38%, respectively, from the day before (a rebroadcast also starting at 1:23 a.m. ET); +2% and +13%, respectively, from the Wednesday before (a 12:35 a.m. rebroadcast).

Following Kimmel, ABC News’ Nightline averaged 560,000 total viewers with 67,000 P18-49 at 1:24 a.m., per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s +13% and +3%, respectively, from the day before (when Nightline also started at 1:24 a.m. ET); but -2% and -12%, respectively, from the Wednesday prior (when the show aired in its usual 12:35 a.m. slot)

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)

Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.