It’s official: CBS has just concluded its 33rd consecutive year as daytime’s most-watched broadcast network, led by “The Price is Right” and “The Young and the Restless.” On average, the network attracted 3.58 million viewers throughout the daypart with a 0.8 rating in Women 25-54 and a 0.3 rating in Women 18-34.
According to Nielsen Media Research ratings data for the complete 2018-2019 broadcast television season, CBS held the top six positions in total viewers. “The Price is Right 2,” which is the official coding for the second half-hour of “TPIR,” brought in the most eyeballs in daytime with 4.98 million viewers tuning in each day while “Y&R” placed second at 4.45 million viewers for the same period. “The Price is Right 1” was in third place with an average of 4.39 million viewers. “The Bold and the Beautiful” placed fourth with 3.55 million viewers and “Let’s Make a Deal 2” (3.17 million viewers) and “Let’s Make a Deal 1” (2.76 million viewers) brought up the rear with fifth place and sixth place rankings, respectively.
In the all-important sales demos, “The Young and the Restless” kept its first place ranking with a 1.1 rating in Women 25-54 and a 0.7 rating in Women 18-49. “TPIR 2” and “B&B” tied for second in both demos (0.9 rating in Women 25-54 and 0.6 rating in Women 18-49). Also tying for second place in Women 18-49 rating was “TPIR 1,” which ranked fifth in Women 25-54 with a 0.8 rating.
“B&B” remained the most-watched U.S.-produced daytime drama in the world, and, in recent weeks, the soap has inched up in the Women 25-54 and Women 18-49 demographics, beating or tying “Y&R” for the number one spot.
The CBS’ daytime dominance as broadcast television’s #1 network began in 1986, which the network notes was the period when such iconic shows as “Murder, She Wrote” and “Dallas” were topping the primetime charts. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Pee-Week’s Playhouse” debuted and the musical “Phantom of the Opera” premiered, among other noteworthy events.
Accordingly, CBS says its daytime programs have reached 105.5 million viewers (who watched at least six minutes), nearly 25 million more viewers than its closest competitor.