Late Night Ratings: Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024

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

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! was the only 11:35 p.m. show to present a new episode Wednesday, and as expected, it averaged the most total viewers in the timeslot.

The Feb. 21, 2024 episode of JKL averaged 1,637,000 total viewers, -1% from the previous night, but +14% from the previous Wednesday night. The program also averaged 191,000 P18-49 viewers on Wednesday, a solid +37% gain from the night before and a +50% gain from the most-recent Wednesday.

The Feb. 21 episode featured appearances from Jeff Goldblum, Tyler James Williams, musical guest the Beaches.

While Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged the most total viewers in its timeslot slot on Wednesday, it once again averaged fewer P18-49 than the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, despite the NBC program being dark last week.

The Tonight Show ‘s Jan. 18 episode averaged 227,000 P18-49 viewers, No. 1 in late night. It also earned a rare win over CBS’ The Late Show in total viewers, 1,264,000 vs. 1,238,000. The Tonight Show posted a +43% gain in total viewers and +38% growth in P18-49 viewers from the previous night’s repeat episode.

In terms of digital performance, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’s digital content for the current season to-date has racked up 2.2 billion views across all social platforms per ListenFirst data, far surpassing its late night competition. It has more total followers and subscribers than any other talk show on TV.  

Traditionally the dominant late-night offering as far as Nielsen ratings are concerned, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert earned a rare third place finish in both total viewers and P18-49 viewers, with the show’s Jan. 30 episode averaging 1,238,000 total viewers and 151,000 P18-49 viewers, -19%% and -25%, respectively, from the night before (also a repeat).

Hitting fast-forward, at 12:37 a.m., a new episode of Nightline averaged more total viewers than the competition, 756,000. However, it averaged the second-most P18-49 viewers (94,000) behind a repeat of NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (133,000). Late Night also averaged 696,000 total viewers. CBS’ After Midnight, also a repeat, came in third with an average of 484,000 total viewers and 86,000 P18-49 viewers on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Nightline shed -10% in total viewers but gained +25% in P18-49 viewers from the night before, -14% in total viewers and +7% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday. NBC’s Late Night repeat gained +17% in total viewers, but -1% in P18-49 viewers from the night before (also a repeat). The After Midnight repeat shed -14% in total viewers and -9% in P18-49 viewers from the previous night’s repeat. Both After Midnight and Late Night aired original episodes the previous Wednesday.

Comedy Central presented a new episode of The Daily Show on Wednesday, Feb. 21, with correspondent Desi Lydic serving as host. The Wednesday broadcast averaged 535,000 total viewers and 113,000 P18-49 viewers. That’s a +17% gain in total viewers and an +11% gain in P18-49 viewers from the previous night, as well as a +17% gain in total viewers and a +26% gain in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday broadcast.

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo)

Live+SD ratings (Viewers 2+)