Ratings: Kennedy Center Honors Special Falls This Year

CBS’ 2017 Kennedy Center Honors special was down substantially from last year’s edition.

Pictured: Luke Bryan Photo: Timothy Kuratek/CBS

The 2017 Kennedy Center Honors special drew a considerably smaller live+same-day audience than last year’s show.

According to fast national data posted by Showbuzz, Tuesday’s Kennedy Center broadcast drew a 0.7 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 6.17 million viewers.

Last year’s show drew a 1.0 in the demo and 8.62 million in total viewers.

Of potential note: last year’s show received a much bigger lead-in. Last year’s event followed a re-run of “NCIS,” which drew a 1.1 and 9.49 million viewers.

A re-run of “NCIS” also led into this year’s show, but it only drew a 0.7 adults 18-49 rating and 7.17 million viewers.

— This year’s event honored LL Cool J, Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan, Carmen de Lavallade, and Norman Lear. Celebrity participants included Luke Bryan, Becky G, Dave Chappelle, Eva Longoria, Meryl Streep, Stevie Wonder, Misty Copeland and more.

Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002. Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj. Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.