Narrows Gap With “The Tonight Show” to 8,000 Viewers, Closest Competitive Finish

Since Premiere Week in September 2015

Inaugural Night Broadcast Delivers Most Watched Friday

Since Series Premiere Week in September 2015

“The Late Show” Audience Grows +6% Over the Same Week a Year Ago

CBS’ THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT delivered another strong week, finishing in its closest competitive position to “The Tonight Show” in viewers since the series premiere in September 2015, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Jan. 20.

For the week, THE LATE SHOW (2.842m) narrowed the gap with “The Tonight Show” (2.850m) to just 8,000 viewers, the closest finish with original broadcasts since Colbert’s debut the week of Sept. 8, 2015. THE LATE SHOW was up +6% versus the same week a year ago.

This ranks as THE LATE SHOW’s third most watched week this season, with two of those three weeks occurring since the beginning of January 2017.

On Inauguration Friday, THE LATE SHOW averaged 3.35m viewers, 0.9/04 in adults 25-54, 0.6/03 in adults 18-49 and 0.3/02 in adults 18-34. THE LATE SHOW delivered its second best Friday viewer total (behind the Friday broadcast during the program's premiere week in September 2015),  matched its best ever Friday adults 25-54 rating, and posted its best Friday adults 18-49 rating since June 24, 2016.

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Press Contacts:

Ed Harrison 818-655-1584 ed.harrison@cbs.com

Lauren Kamm (Late Show) 212-975-3869 lauren.kamm@cbs.com