TV ratings: Super Bowl XLVI close to a record in early returns

The Super Bowl may not quite set a ratings record for the third straight year — but it could come awfully close.

Metered-market ratings for Super Bowl XLVI show the game scoring a 47.8 rating/71 share in Nielsen’s metered-market ratings, which for live broadcasts are sometimes a better indicator of the audience than the fast national ratings, which are below. That’s just a tenth of a point behind the last two Super Bowls, which are the No. 1 and No. 2 telecasts in U.S. television history.

Following the game, the premiere of “The Voice” scored a 19.4/33 in the metered markets, considerably better than FOX’s broadcast of “Glee” (15.3/27) last year.

In the fast nationals, NBC scored a massive 85.35 million viewers and a 37.0/56 in households in primetime in the fast nationals. (Time zone-adjusted numbers for the game and “The Voice” will be available later.) CBS was the best of the other three nets with 4.1 million viewers and a 2.7/4, followed by ABC (2.6 million, 1.6/2) and FOX (1.8 million, 1.1/2).

The Peacock scored a 32.0 rating among adults 18-49. None of the other networks got above 1.0: FOX drew a 0.8, ABC a 0.7 and CBS a 0.6.

Sunday hour by hour:

7 p.m.

NBC: Super Bowl XLVI – Giants/Patriots (102.4 million viewers, 43.3/66 households)
CBS: “Undercover Boss” rerun (2.8 million, 2.0/3)
ABC: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” rerun (2.6 million, 1.6/2)
FOX: “Bob’s Burgers” rerun (942,000, 0.6/1)/”Napoleon Dynamite” rerun (1.5 million, 0.8/1)

18-49 leader: Super Bowl XLVI (37.3)

8 p.m.

NBC: Super Bowl XLVI (101.6 million, 43.0/63)
CBS: “60 Minutes” (4 million, 2.7/4)
ABC: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” rerun (2.9 million, 1.7/2)
FOX: “The Simpsons” rerun (2 million, 1.2/2)/”The Cleveland Show” rerun (1.8 million, 1.1/2)

18-49 leader: Super Bowl XLVI (37.3)

9 p.m.

NBC: Super Bowl XLVI (95.6 million, 41.7/60)
CBS: “CSI: Miami” rerun (3.1 million, 2.2/3)
FOX: “Family Guy” rerun (2.4 million, 1.5/2)/”American Dad” rerun (2.3 million, 1.4/2)
ABC: “The Middle” reruns – two episodes (1.8 million, 1.1/2)

18-49 leader: Super Bowl XLVI (35.8)

10 p.m.

NBC: Super Bowl post-game/”The Voice” season premiere (41.8 million, 19.9/33)
CBS: “NCIS” rerun (6.4 million, 4.1/7)
ABC: “Modern Family” reruns – two episodes (3 million, 1.9/3)

18-49 leader: Super Bowl post-game/”The Voice” (17.4)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts. Source: The Nielsen Company.

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Photo/Video credit: Getty Images