Thurs, Mar 7, 2024 Late Night Ratings: Colbert’s Post-SOTU Live Show Delivers Mixed Results

Broadcast’s late-night shows started later than usual on Thursday, March 7, due to President Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.

Stephen Colbert hosted a live post-State of the Union episode of The Late Show this past Thursday, and it averaged the most total viewers on late night. Airing from 11:55 p.m.-12:43 a.m., the Thursday, March 7 episode averaged 1,923,000 total viewers and 200,000 P18-49 viewers, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data.

That’s -1% in total viewers and -4% in P18-49 viewers from last year’s post-State of the Union episode (Feb. 7, 2023). It’s also -5% in total viewers and -24% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Thursday edition of The Late Show (Feb. 29, 2024); up +4% in total viewers and -2% in P18-49 viewers from the Thursday Late Show average in 2024 to-date.

CBS News anchor John Dickerson and De La Soul were Colbert’s post-State of the Union show guests this past Thursday.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon edged The Late Show in P18-49 viewers (201,000 vs. 200,000) on Thursday, March 7, but came up short in average total viewers (1,025,000 vs. 1,923,000). That’s according to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen. It’s possible that the P18-49 rankings could switch after delayed data arrives.

The Thursday, March 7 edition of The Tonight Show shed -22% in total viewers and -17% in P18-49 from the prior Thursday.

Ricky Martin, Marcello Hernández, Manuel Turizo & Yandel were Fallon’s guests this past Thursday, and the episode aired from 11:49 p.m.-12:39 a.m.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! was dark last week as the host prepared to host the Academy Awards on Sunday, and the network did not submit Jimmy Kimmel Live! viewer data to Nielsen for Thursday, March 7. ABC instead aired a repeat of the show’s Feb. 1, 2024 episode, which featured guests Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Benson Boone.

Hitting fast-forward to 12:35 timeslot, NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers earned first place on Thursday, March 7, averaging 652,000 total viewers and 123,000 P18-49 viewers, per live-plus-same-day. That represents a -18% decline in total viewers, and -15% decline in P18-49 viewers from the previous Thursday (Feb. 29, 2024).

Peter Dinklage, Rory Scovel, and Adrian Young were Meyers’ Late Night guests on March 7, and the episode aired from 12:51-1:43 a.m.

CBS’ After Midnight hosted finished second place behind NBC in total viewers and P18-49, averaging 579,000 total viewers and 96,000 P18-49 from the P18-49 demo, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s down -6% in total viewers and a -23% in P18-49 viewers from the Thursday before. The March 7, 2024 episode aired from 12:57-1:52 a.m.

Beth Stelling, Mo Welch,and  Zach Noe Towers were Tomlinson’s After Midnight guests on Thursday.

ABC’s half-hour news offering Nightline finished in third place at 12:37 a.m., both in total viewers (537,000) and among P18-49 (68,000). That’s -34% in total viewers, and -25% in P18-49 viewers from the Thursday before. The episode aired from 12:50-1:14 a.m.

Switching to late-night cable, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, hosted on Thursday, March 7 by correspondent Ronny Chieng, averaged 423,000 total viewers and 109,000 P18-49 viewers, per live-plus-same-day data. That’s up +22% in total viewers and +56% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Thursday episode.

Awkwafina was Chieng’s guest on the Thursday, Feb. 29 edition of The Daily Show.

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.

Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.