Late Night Ratings: Week of August 12, 2024

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

After an Olympics-influenced hiatus, most of late-night returned to the airwaves with all-new episodes for the week of August 12.

CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon went on to split late-night ratings honors for the week, in total viewers and among P18-49, respectively.

For the week of August 12, The Late Show averaged 2,086,000 total viewers with 194,000 P18-49 viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-three-day data. That’s +83% and +46%, respectively, from the week before (starting August 5). The Late Show‘s week of August 12 Nielsen ratings averages are based are based off data from four new episodes, and a rebroadcast on Friday, whereas the previous week’s ratings are based exclusively off data from show rebroadcasts.

During the weeks July 29 and August 5, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was preempted by NBC’s Olympics coverage. Fallon returned to the air for the week of August 12, and finished No. 1 on late-night in the key P18-49 demo. The program averaged 1,290,000 total viewers with 214,000 P18-49 viewers for the week, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. However, that’s -21% and -23% , respectively, from the most recent week of episodes (starting July 22); which received a substantial boost from NBC’s Opening Ceremony broadcast on July 26. The Tonight Show week of August 12 Nielsen ratings averages are based off of data from four new episodes, and a rebroadcast on Friday. Week of July 22 Tonight Show averages are based off of data from five first-run episodes.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! continues to feature guest hosts this summer, with Jeff Goldblum taking reins of the show for the week of August 12. The Goldblum-led Kimmel averaged 1,158,000 total viewers with 161,000 P18-49 for the week, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s +21% and +12% , respectively, from the week before. Jimmy Kimmel Live! week of August 12 ratings are based off data from four new episodes, and a rebroadcast on Friday, whereas the show’s August 5 ratings are based off data exclusively from show rebroadcasts.

Following Fallon, NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers returned with new episodes for the first time since the week of July 15. The program averaged a timeslot-high 904,000 total viewers with 146,000 P18-49 for the week of August 12, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s up +30% in total viewers and +35% among P18-49 from the show’s most recent week of telecasts (the week starting July 22). Late Night‘s week of August 12 Nielsen averages are based off data from four new episodes and a Friday broadcast, whereas the show’s week of July 22 ratings are based exclusively off data from show rebroadcasts.

CBS’ After Midnight averaged 614,000 total viewers with 108,000 P18-49 for the week of August 12, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s +42% in total viewers and +35% among P18-49 from the week prior. After Midnight‘s week of August 12 Nielsen averages are based exclusively off data from show rebroadcasts, as was the case the week prior.

ABC’s Nightline averaged 752,000 total viewers with 105,000 P18-49 viewers this past week, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s +8% and +1%, respectively, from the week prior. Nightline‘s week of August 12 averages are based on Nielsen data from five first-run episodes (Mon-Fri), also true for the week prior.

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show averaged 882,000 total viewers with 167,000 P18-49 at 11 p.m. for the week of August 12, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. Compared with the previous week of Daily Show episodes, the program shed -1% in total viewers but gained +4% in P18-49 viewers.

Weekly live+3 ratings (18-49 demo)

Weekly live+3 ratings (Viewers 2+)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.