Late Night Ratings: Week of March 18, 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.

Bolstered by the network’s coverage of NCAA March Madness on Thursday and Friday, CBS’ late-night programming averaged the most P18-49 viewers this past week in each timeslot, while ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged the largest total audience of any late-night show.

CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was dark during the week of March 18, 2024. The show aired repeats throughout week, later than usual on Thursday and Friday due to late March Madness coverage. The show’s Monday-Friday repeats averaged 246,000 P18-49 viewers and 1,260,000 total linear viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s -7% and -48%, respectively, from what the show averaged the week prior (week starting March 11, 2024) — one full of new episodes.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! took advantage of Colbert being dark this past week, averaging a late-night-high 1,823,000 total linear viewers. However, that’s actually -4% drop-off from the week prior. JKL also averaged 223,000 P18-49 viewers for the week of March 18, No. 2 in late-night and up +7% from the week prior.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon averaged 1,479,000 total linear viewers and 215,000 P18-49 viewers at 11:35 p.m. for the week of March 18. That’s up +4% in total viewers but -1% in P18-49 viewers from what the program averaged the previous week.

CBS’ After Midnight and NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers were both dark last week and aired repeats. ABC News’ Nightline, however, aired new episodes and averaged the largest total audience in the 12:37 a.m. timeslot of the big three (873,000). That’s a -4% drop-off from the week prior.

Benefiting from its Colbert lead-in and consequently March Madness, After Midnight drew more P18-49 viewers than ABC and NBC, despite airing repeats (158,000). The broadcast gained +14% in demo viewers from the week before.

Late Night with Seth Meyers averaged 756,000 total viewers and 120,000 P18-49 viewers this past week, down -25% and -23%, respectively, from the previous week, one chock full of new episodes. In addition to averaging 873,000 total viewers, Nightline averaged 116,000 P18-49 viewers for the week, a -5% decline from the week prior. After Midnight averaged 590,000 total viewers for the week, down -13% from the week before.

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show was also dark this past week, and aired four days of Jon Stewart repeats at 11 p.m. As a result, Daily Show shed double-digits from the week prior, when the show aired new episodes.

*Note: Week of March 18, 2024 Nielsen averages for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, After Midnight and Late Night with Seth Meyers are based on five days of repeat episodes (each show was dark this past week). Jimmy Kimmel Live! averages are based on four days of originals (Monday-Thursday) and a Friday repeat. Weekly averages for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Nightline are based on originals for Monday through Friday. The Daily Show was dark this past week and aired four days of Jon Stewart repeats.

Weekly live+3 ratings (18-49 demo)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.

Weekly live+3 ratings (Viewers 2+)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.