Primetime Ratings: Close to 10 Million Watch ‘Billboard Awards’

ABC was the winner among broadcasters Sunday night, the network putting up a 2.5 in adults 18-49, per Nielsen’s fast affiliate ratings, and a 9 share, thanks to the Billboard Music Awards. Everyone else was playing for second. Fox did a 0.9/3, CBS a 0.8/3 and NBC a 0.6/2.

The Billboard Music Awards drew 9.6 million people, good for a 3.1 rating in 18-49, according to fast affiliates. Last year’s telecast rated a 3.7 in 18-49 and 11.1 million total viewers, according to Nielsen overnight numbers, making it the most-watched Billboard gala in 14 years.

The Sunday special was up against cable heavyweights Game of Thrones on HBO and the finale of Fear the Walking Dead on AMC.

Related: The Broadcast Networks' Fall 2016 Primetime Slates

America’s Funniest Home Videos led in with a 1.2.

Fox’s Bordertown rated a 0.5. After a Simpsons repeat, a new Simpsons did a 1.0, then Bob’s Burgers a 1.0. Family Guy scored a 1.2 and a second Bob’s Burgers a 0.9.

Related: Affiliates Encouraged By Nets’ Upfront Slates

For CBS, 60 Minutes did a 0.8 across two hours, same as Undercover Boss.

On NBC, Dateline did a 0.6. After a pair of Little Big Shots repeats, The Carmichael Show did a 0.5 and Crowded a 0.4. A second Dateline scored a 0.7. 

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.