TV Ratings: NCAA Hoops, Colbert Score Wins

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” extended its winning streak over NBC’s late-night rival to nine consecutive weeks, Nielsen data out Tuesday revealed.

According to The NY Post, the CBS show saw its audience for the week ended March 31 grow by 400,000 — pushing its advantage over “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to 2.99 million-to-2.59 million.

That’s the largest gap for CBS over NBC since Colbert’s premier week in September 2015.

The weekly win for “Late Show” gave CBS its first nine-week first place run since the week ended Jan. 15, 2010.

Granted, even with a Friday rerun, NBC’s “Tonight,” won the key 18-49 demographic — pulling in a 0.62 rating against a 0.51 rating for “Late Show.”

But for the entire first quarter, there’s no denying Colbert’s caustic treatment of President Trump has been a ratings bonanza.

Overall, NCAA basketball topped the weekly ratings last week, and the championship game easily dominated Monday’s ratings.

North Carolina’s victory over Gonzaga averaged 23 million viewers on CBS, according to Nielsen ratings released Tuesday afternoon. The game was up 30 percent from last year, when Villanova beat North Carolina. The game peaked with 26.1 million from 11:15 to 11:30 p.m. The game was well ahead of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” (10.5 million) and NBC’s “The Voice” (10 million).

Last week was very good for CBS and such series as the original “NCIS” with Mark Harmon, “The Big Bang Theory,” the ACM Awards and Tom Selleck’s “Blue Bloods.”


Here are the most-watched programs for last week that started in prime time:

1. NCAA Final Four (North Carolina-Oregon), CBS, 18.8 million

2. NCAA Bridge Show (between games), CBS, 16 million

3. “NCIS,” CBS, 14.4 million

4. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 12.8 million

5. “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC, 11.1 million

6. ACM Awards, CBS, 10.9 million

7. “Bull,” CBS, 10.89 million

8. “The Voice” Monday, NBC, 10.6 million

9. “The Voice” Tuesday, NBC, 10.2 million

10. “Blue Bloods,” CBS, 9.6 million

CBS had 14 of the Top 20 broadcasts in total viewers. The prime-time averages in total viewers: CBS with 9.7 million, NBC with 5.3 million, ABC with 4.4 million, Fox with 2.7 million and The CW with 1.4 million. CBS easily won the 18-to-49 age group for the week.

The top broadcasts with the 18-to-49 age group last week were:

1. NCAA Final Four (North Carolina-Oregon), CBS

2. NCAA Bridge Show, CBS

3. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS

4. (tie) “Empire,” Fox

“The Voice” Monday, NBC

6. (tie) ACM Awards, CBS

“Modern Family,” ABC

“The Voice” Tuesday, NBC

9. “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC

10. “Survivor," CBS