By David Bauder, Television Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --NBC’s summer run of “Weekend Update” segments from “Saturday Night Live” and ABC’s two-part special on Princess Diana were modest successes for their television networks last week.
The first of four weeks where “SNL’s” Michael Che and Colin Jost deliver topical jokes on NBC’s primetime lineup was seen by nearly 4.9 million viewers last week. It was the 17th most popular program on last week but did better in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic NBC pays most attention to. Aside from “Game of Thrones,” only competition shows like “America’s Got Talent” or “Big Brother” beat the program among the younger viewers.
Although its audience skewed older, the two-part ABC News special recalling Diana also landed in the Nielsen company’s top 20 last week. Only “The Bachelorette” did better last week for ABC.
With its powerful one-two punch of “America’s Got Talent” and the summer finale of “World of Dance,” NBC again dominated in the ratings last week.
NBC averaged 4.9 million viewers in primetime, Nielsen said. CBS had 3.99 million, ABC had 3.95 million, Fox had 1.7 million, Univision had 1.49 million, Telemundo had 1.45 million, ION Television had 1.3 million and the CW had 940,000.
Fox News Channel was the week’s most popular cable network, averaging 2.09 million viewers in prime time. MSNBC had 1.72 million, USA had 1.46 million, HGTV had 1.41 million and TBS had 1.24 million.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” topped the evening newscasts with an average of 7.8 million viewers. ABC’s “World News” was second with 7.5 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 6.4 million viewers.
Below are primetime viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Aug. 7-13. Listings include the week’s ranking and viewership.
1. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 13.32 million.
2. “Game of Thrones,” HBO, 10.72 million.
3. “World of Dance,” NBC, 8 million.
4. “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 7.58 million.
5. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 7.02 million.
6. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 7.01 million.
7. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 6.4 million.
8. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 6.22 million.
9. “American Ninja Warrior,” NBC, 6.2 million.
10. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 5.979 million.
11. “NCIS,” CBS, 5.976 million.
12. “Story of Diana, Part One,” ABC, 5.45 million.
13. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 5.42 million.
14. “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS, 5.34 million.
15. “Bull,” CBS, 5 million.
16. “Story of Diana, Part Two,” ABC, 4.88 million.
17. “Saturday Night Live Weekend Update in Primetime,” NBC, 4.71 million.
18. “Celebrity Family Feud,” ABC, 4.52 million.
19. “The Wall,” NBC, 4.22 million.
20. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC, 4.217 million.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More