NBC TIES FOR #1 IN ADULTS 18-49 FOR THE PRIMETIME WEEK OF DECEMBER 25-31 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' AND '1 VS 100' GIVE NBC ITS TOP-RATED CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN 18-49 SINCE 1997 AND MOST-WATCHED DEC. 25 IN TOTAL VIEWERS SINCE 1993 PACKERS-BEARS ON 'NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' PACE NBC'S SEVENTH SUNDAY WIN OF THE SEASON IN 18-49 'MY NAME IS EARL,' 'THE OFFICE' AND 'LAW & ORDER: SVU' ENCORES WIN THEIR RESPECTIVE SLOTS IN ADULTS 18-49 NBC IS UP 16 PERCENT IN 18-49 AND 20 PERCENT IN 18-34 THROUGH THE FIRST 15 WEEKS OF THE 2006-07 SEASON, THE ONLY MAJOR NETWORK TO SHOW GROWTH IN THESE KEY DEMOS BURBANK, Calif. � January 3, 2007 � NBC tied for #1 in adults 18-49 for the final week of 2006, averaging a 2.5 rating, 7 share in 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers overall for the week of December 25-31, according to "live plus same day" in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research. This marks the fifth consecutive week in which NBC has ranked #1 or #2 in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49. NBC also ranked #1 for the week among adults 25-54, and among adults 18-34 (tied with Fox). NBC's Monday telecast of "Deal or No Deal" was the #1 primetime program of the week in adults 18-49, and the "NBC Sunday Night Football" telecast of the Green Bay Packers versus the Chicago Bears ranked #2 among all primetime telecasts in the key demo. NBC's special Monday telecast of "1 vs 100" was the #4 program of the week in adults 18-49. In overall total viewers, "Deal or No Deal, " with 16.4 million viewers, was the #1 program of the week and "NBC Sunday Night Football" ranked #3 by that measure (Note: weekly rankings exclude NBC's primetime NFL overrun on Monday, Dec. 25). For the first 15 weeks of the 2006-07 television season, NBC is the only network showing year-to-year gains in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49. NBC is up 16 percent versus the same period last year (3.6 rating versus 3.1). In that same comparison, ABC is down 3 percent, CBS is down 5 percent and Fox is down 6 percent. Season-to-date in total viewers only NBC and ABC are showing gains year-to-year. NBC is up 9 percent versus the opening 14 weeks of the last season (9.9 million vs. 9.1 million). ABC is up 1 percent by that measure, while CBS is down 5 percent and Fox is down 1 percent. NBC is also the only network showing growth season-to-date among adults 18-34, up 20 percent versus the first 15 weeks of last season (3.0 vs. 2.5). Primetime averages for the week of December 25-31 in adults 18-49 were NBC (2.5/7), Fox (2.5/8), ABC (2.2/6), CBS (2.1/6), Univision (1.2/3), CW (0.8/2) and Telemundo (0.3/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (8.5 million), NBC (7.7 million), Fox (6.8 million), ABC (6.5 million), Univision (3.4 million), CW (2.0 million) and Telemundo (0.8 million). NBC highlights for the week of December 25-31: * On Monday, NBC scored its highest 18-49 rating for a Christmas night since 1997. And with an average 15.1 million overall viewers, it was NBC's most-watched Christmas night since 1993 and the highest viewership for any network on a Christmas night since ABC in 2000. * On Monday, special Christmas night editions of "Deal or No Deal" and "1 vs 100" combined to give NBC its 12th Monday win in 15 weeks this season in the key demographic of adults 18-49. NBC also won Monday night in total viewers, the network's sixth Monday win of the season by that measure. * On Monday, despite disrupted holiday viewership, "Deal or No Deal" matched its second-highest 18-49 rating of the season, and "1 vs 100"scored its highest rating since its premiere telecast. Both shows dominated their time periods in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures. * Paced by the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears game on "NBC Sunday Night Football," NBC won its seventh Sunday of the season in adults 18-49 and its fourth Sunday in total viewers. NBC's nightlong average was up 100 percent in 18-49 and 60 percent in total viewers versus the comparable Sunday night last season. * On Tuesday, an encore "Law & Order: SVU" ranked #1 in adults 18-49 and all other key adult demographics. * On Thursday, encore episodes of "My Name is Earl" and "The Office" ranked #1 in their respective time periods in adults 18-49 and other key demographics. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day." Additional NBC highlights for the week of December 25-31: On Monday, Dec. 25, NBC averaged a 5.0 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 for the night. This was NBC's highest primetime average for a Christmas night since 1997. NBC averaged 15.1 million overall viewers in primetime. This was the highest Christmas-night viewership for any network since ABC in 2000 and for NBC since 1993. Monday from 8:04-10:04 p.m. ET, a special two-hour Christmas edition of "Deal or No Deal" (5.3 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49, 16.4 million viewers overall) dominated its time period in all key ratings categories. "Deal" had a winning margin over its nearest competitor of 77 percent in adult 18-49 rating (5.3 vs. a 3.0 for ABC's second-place "Pirates of the Caribbean") and an advantage of 8.1 million overall viewers (16.4 million vs. 8.3 million for "Pirates" from 8-10 p.m.). Despite holiday-disrupted viewing, "Deal" tied its second-highest 18-49 rating of the season. Monday from 10:04-11 p.m. ET, a special Christmas telecast of "1 vs 100" (4.1/12 in 18-49, 11.8 million viewers overall) scored the show's highest rating since its October 13 premiere. "1 vs 100" won the hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures The four-minute primetime overrun of NBC's special NFL Christmas Day telecast of the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game delivered a 7.1/24 in adults 18-49, 21.1 million viewers and an 11.3/24 in households from 8-8:04 p.m. ET. For its full duration, the game averaged an 8.0/30 in adults 18-49, 23.2 million viewers overall and a 12.1/29 in households from 5:08-8:04 p.m. ET. This makes it the most-watched NBC NFL broadcast this season and the highest-rated Christmas Day game in more than a decade (since the 1995 Cowboys-Cardinals game on ABC). NBC won Monday night in adults 18-49, the network's 12th Monday win in 15 weeks this season. NBC also won the night in total viewers, its sixth Monday win of the season by that measure. Versus the same Monday night last year, NBC was up 108 percent in 18-49 (5.0 vs. 2.4 on Monday, Dec. 26, 2005) and by 7.4 million viewers overall (15.1 million vs. 7.7 million). On Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 8 p.m. ET, a "Dateline NBC" telecast of "Tom Brokaw Reports: In the Shadow of the American Dream" averaged a 2.1/6 in adults 18-49 and 7.5 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2.5/7 in 18-49, 8.1 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and other key measures. At 10 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.1/9 in adults 18-49, 9.1 million viewers overall) was #1 in its time period in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and other key demographic measures. On Wednesday, Dec. 27 NBC ran back-to-back encore episodes of the critically acclaimed "Friday Night Lights." The 8 p.m. ET telecast of "Friday Night Lights" averaged a 1.2/3 in 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers overall. The 9 p.m. "Lights" delivered a 1.1/3 in 18-49 and 3.3 million viewers overall. And the 10 p.m. "Lights" rebroadcast averaged a 1.3/3 in 18-49 and 3.5 million viewers overall. On Thursday, Dec. 28 from 8-8:30 p.m. ET, an encore "My Name is Earl" (2.7/8 in 18-49, 7.0 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and other key demographic measures. Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET, a rebroadcast of "The Office" (2.6/7 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall) retained 96 percent of the 18-49 rating from "Earl" to rank #1 in adults 18-49. At 9 p.m., an encore "Scrubs" averaged a 2.0/5 in 18-49 and 4.3 million viewers overall. From 9:31-10:01 p.m., a rebroadcast of "30 Rock" delivered a 1.7/4 in 18-49 and 3.8 million viewers overall. And from 10:01-11 p.m., an encore "ER" averaged a 1.7/5 in 18-49 and 4.4 million viewers overall. On Friday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.6/5 in 18-49 and 5.4 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., an encore "Las Vegas" delivered a 1.2/4 in 18-49 and 4.3 million viewers overall. At 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" averaged a 1.4/4 in 18-49 and 5.6 million viewers overall. From its first half-hour to its second, "Law & Order" built by 33 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.6/5 from a 1.2/4). On Saturday, Dec. 30 from 8:25-9 p.m. ET, a special broadcast of the Bravo series "Top Chef" averaged a 0.6/2 in 18-49 and 2.3 million viewers overall. From 9-10 p.m., "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.1/3 in 18-49 and 3.9 million viewers overall. From 10-11 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Law & Order" averaged a 1.5/4 in 18-49 and 5.5 million viewers overall. (Note: Coverage of the Funeral of President Gerald Ford was sustaining programming until 8:25 p.m. ET and does not figure in the nightly or weekly primetime averages.) On Sunday, Dec. 31, the "NBC Sunday Night Football" telecast of the Green Bay Packers versus the Chicago Bears averaged a 4.7/15 in adults 18-49, 13.4 million viewers overall and a 7.9/15 household rating and share from 8:16-11:11 p.m. ET. NBC won Sunday night in the key demographic of adults 18-49 and in total viewers. This was NBC's seventh Sunday win this season in 18-49 and fourth Sunday win in total viewers. At this point last season, NBC had won no Sundays by either measure. For the full, regular 2005-06 season, NBC won no Sundays in 18-49 and won two in total viewers. Packers-Bears football was up 114 percent in 18-49 versus the 2.2/6 NBC averaged from 8:30-11 p.m. on the same night last year. Versus the comparable night on NBC in 2005, NBC's Sunday nightlong average this week was up 100 percent in 18-49 (4.0/13 vs. 2.0/5) and up 60 percent in total viewers (11.547 million vs. 7.203 million). Also on Sunday, "Football Night in America 2" from 7:30-7:54 p.m. ET averaged a 0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall and a 2.0/4 in households. "Football Night in America 3" from 7:54-8:07 p.m. delivered a 1.5/5 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall and a 2.8/5 in households. From 8:07-8:16 p.m., "NBC Sunday Night Football Pre Kickoff" averaged a 3.0/10 in 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall and a 5.0/9 in households. Note: "Football Night in America" from 7-7:30 p.m. ET was sustaining programming and does not figure in the nightly or weekly primetime averages.