While ratings for the (more popular) late-night portion are not yet available, early ratings have emerged for the primetime portion of Saturday’s “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve” special.
They confirm the ABC program as network television’s #1 primetime show on New Year’s Eve. They also reflect a year-to-year decline.
According to fast national data posted by Showbuzz, the special opened with a 1.4 adults 18-49 rating and 5.40 million total viewers in the 8-9PM hour. It followed with a 2.3 rating and 7.64 million viewers from 9-10PM and a 3.5 and 11.43 million from 10-11PM.
In the comparable fast nationals, last year’s broadcast posted a 1.8 rating and 7.02 million in the 8PM hour, a 2.8 rating and 9.39 million in the 9PM hour and a 3.9 rating and 13.07 million in the 10PM hour.
(Final broadcast data had last year’s show at 2.3/8.13 million from 8-10PM and 3.9/13.02 million from 10-11PM).
While this year’s edition aired on a Saturday, last year’s broadcast took place on a Thursday. The difference may not mean much in the context of a New Year’s Eve program, but it is still worth noting.