Late Night Ratings: Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024

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

CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon split first place in the late-night TV ratings race for Wednesday, Feb. 28.

The Late Show was the most-watched at 11:35 p.m., averaging 1,946,000 total viewers, while The Tonight Show averaged the most P18-49 viewers in the timeslot with 303,000. That’s according to live-plus-same-data from Nielsen.

The Late Show shed -3% in total viewers and -31% in P18-49 viewers from the night before. The program gained +57% in total viewers and +35% in P18-49 from the most-recent Wednesday, when the show aired a repeat.

Chris Hayes and Carrie Preston were Colbert’s Late Show guests this past Wednesday.

Along with averaging 303,000 P18-49 viewers, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon averaged 1,448,000 total viewers on Wednesday at 11:35 p.m. That’s up +40% in total viewers and a solid +70% in P18-49 viewers from the night before, +15% in total viewers and +33% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday, which featured a repeat.

Fallon’s guests this past Wednesday included Kate Winslet, Robin Wright, and Maya Hawke.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! finished behind its 11:35 p.m. NBC and CBS competition, both in total viewers and P18-49. ABC’s late-night offering averaged 1,396,000 total viewers and 116,000 P18-49 viewers on Wednesday, -1% and -7%, respectively, from the night before. The program also shed viewers from the previous Wednesday’s broadcast, -15% in total viewers and -39% in P18-49 viewers. A week-to-week decline isn’t surprising, considering JKL’s competition was dark last week and the show likely earned a chunk of their respective audiences.

Bob Odenkirk, Theo James, and Sheryl Crow were Kimmel’s guests this past Wednesday.

NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers’ roller coaster ratings week continues. Monday was a big night with President Biden stopping by. The program saw a substantial ratings drop-off on Tuesday, and then shot up to No. 1, both in total viewers and in P18-49, on Wednesday. NBC’s 12:37 a.m. offering averaged 856,000 total viewers and 156,000 P18-49 viewers on Wednesday, a +35% improvement in total viewers and a whopping +93% improvement in P18-49 viewers from the night before. The program improved by +23% in total viewers and +18% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday, a repeat.

Austin Butler, Jenny Slate, Two Door Cinema Club, and Fred Armisen were Meyers’ guests on Late Night.

ABC’s Nightline and CBS’ After Midnight split second place at 12:37 a.m. Nightline, which airs for a half-hour, averaged 806,000 total viewers and 74,000 P18-49 viewers on Wednesday. That’s up +7% in total viewers and +9% in P18-49 viewers from the night before, +7% in total viewers but -21% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday.

CBS’ After Midnight averaged 132,000 P18-49 viewers and 631,000 total viewers on Wednesday, per live-plus-same-day data. That’s -9% in total viewers and -15% in demo viewers from the night before, +30% in total viewers and +53% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday, a repeat episode.

Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin, and Tig Notaro were Taylor Tomlinson’s guests on Wednesday’s After Midnight.

Switching to cable, The Daily Show, hosted on Wednesday by correspondent Michael Kosta, averaged 450,000 total viewers and 102,000 P18-49 viewers, per live-plus-same-day data. That’s -9% in total viewers and -32% in P18-49 viewers from the Tuesday episode, -16% in total viewers, and -10% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Wednesday.

Sloane Crosley was Kosta’s guest on the Wednesday, Feb. 28 edition of The Daily Show.

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)

Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)