Wednesday Overnights: ‘The Billboard Music Awards’ Dominates on NBC

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 5.7/10, CBS: 3.6/ 6, Fox: 2.9/ 5, ABC: 2.6/ 5, CW: 0.6/ 1

Note: The percent comparisons to the year-ago period is not available.

Ratings Breakdown:
It was an easy Wednesday overnight victory for NBC with the live three-hour telecast of annual “The Billboard Music Awards” at a 5.7 rating/10 share in households from 8-11 p.m. ET. The peak half-hour was 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., respectively, each with a 5.9/10.

Despite the added competition, “Survivor” on CBS was relatively consistent at a second-place 4.6/ 8 in households at 8 p.m., which bested competing “Empire” on Fox (#3: 3.3/ 6) by 33 percent. Despite its sixth season renewal, “Empire” remains a shell of what it once was.

Next on CBS was “The Amazing Race” at a 3.0/ 5 (#3), which from a ratings standpoint was never all that big. And it led into sophomore military drama “SEAL Team” at a second-place 3.2/ 6 at 10 p.m. Comparably, “SEAL Team” bested competing “Whiskey Cavalier” on ABC (#3: 2.2/ 4) by 45 percent.

Also on Fox was drama “Star” at a typical 2.6/ 4 in households at 9 p.m. Elsewhere, ABC’s Wednesday sitcom block and The CW’s combination of “Riverdale” and “Jane the Virgin” were at typical overnight levels as follows:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Goldbergs”: 3.1/ 6 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 4.6/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.9/10 (#1)
Fox – “Empire”: 3.2/ 6 (#3)
CW – “Riverdale”: 0.6/ 1 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Schooled”: 2.4/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 4.5/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.8/10 (#1)
Fox – “Empire”: 3.3/ 6 (#3)
CW – “Riverdale”: 0.6/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Modern Family”: 3.3/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “The Amazing Race”: 3.0/ 5 (#3)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.9/10 (#1)
Fox – “Star”: 2.6/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Jane the Virgin”: 0.5/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Single Parents”: 2.2/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “The Amazing Race”: 2.9/ 5 (#3)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.6/10 (#1)
Fox – “Star”: 2.5/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Jane the Virgin”: 0.6/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “Whiskey Cavalier”: 2.2/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “SEAL Team”: 3.2/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.8/10 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “Whiskey Cavalier”: 2.1/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “SEAL Team”: 3.1/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Billboard Music Awards”: 5.2/10 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research