Update 2: According to CBS, Sunday’s 56th Annual Grammy Awards telecast enjoyed a slight viewership gain. Time-adjusted data reveals an audience of 28.5 million, which edges the 28.4 million for last year.
Whether the show held up in adults 18-49 remains to be seen, but it definitely seems that the overnight metered market ratings provided an unfairly negative perspective of the show’s performance.
Update: A preliminary fast national report says CBS’ broadcast of the 56th Annual Grammy Awards drew a 10.1 adults 18-49 rating with 29.7 million viewers.
Because those numbers are not time-adjusted, they are very subject to change. Last year’s show, which delivered slightly stronger numbers in the preliminary Nielsen fast nationals (a 10.3 adults 18-49 rating), ended up slipping to a 10.1 rating with 28.4 million viewers in the adjusted follow-up.
NBC’s coverage of the NFL Pro Bowl drew a 3.2 with 9.5 million viewers in the preliminary report.
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Far from a ratings blockbuster, NBC’s broadcast of the annual NFL Pro Bowl nonetheless did draw some viewers away from CBS’ 56th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.
As a result, an awards show that realistically should have been just as much of a draw as last year’s broadcast (if not more of one) endured a slight decline in the overnight ratings.
Headlined by names like Taylor Swift, Daft Punk, Lorde, Paul McCartney and Katy Perry, Sunday’s Grammys telecast drew a 17.7 overnight metered market rating. Last year’s event, which did not air against the Pro Bowl, posted a 19.1 in the same overnight report.
According to TV Media Insights, the show peaked with a 19.1 in the 9-9:30PM half hour. That portion featured performances by John Legend, Taylor Swift, P!nk and Nate Ruess. It also included the awards presentations for Best Rock Song (“Cut Me Some Slack”) and Best Pop Solo Performance (“Royals”).
Because overnight ratings measure full timeslot blocks, the aforementioned 17.7 reflects the Grammys telecast’s average from 8PM-12AM. Since the show went off the air prior to 12AM, the already approximate overnight ratings are greatly subject to change.
The annual music awards show also tends to do very well in adults 18-49, so even if the early indication of a drop in households (and, in all likelihood, total viewers) proves true, there is not yet a reason to believe it was an unsuccessful broadcast.
If the ratings do fall, however, CBS and The Recording Academy would presumably revisit their decision not to formally promote the Beyonce/Jay-Z collaboration.
The Pro Bowl posted a 6.7 from 7:30-10:45PM.
