Rebecca Presents The Daily, Monthly: August 2020 Edition: Democratic and Republican Conventions and NBA Games Dominate Cable, CBS Dominates as Big Brother Returns

It's a bit of a delayed update, but it's time for my monthly ratings update The Daily, Monthly. Here, I take a look at what won each night in the previous month, painting a picture of what ratings were like during the month and which networks and shows were thriving (and which aren't). August was a big month for live events, and also featured the return of a reliable summer staple. Keep reading to see how the month shook out.

Broadcast:


Date
#1 Show(s) (18-49)
18-49 of #1 Show
#1 Show (Viewers)
Viewers of #1 Show
Saturday, August 1
MLB Baseball (Fox)
0.5
48 Hours (R) (CBS)
2.634 million
Sunday, August 2
NBA: Bucks v. Rockets (ABC)
0.9
60 Minutes (CBS)
7.132 million
Monday, August 3
The Titan Games (NBC)
0.7
The Titan Games (NBC)
3.659 million
Tuesday, August 4
America’s Got Talent 15th Anniversary (NBC)
0.8
America’s Got Talent 15th Anniversary (NBC)
6.157 million
Wednesday, August 5
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
Tough As Nails (CBS)
3.642 million
Thursday, August 6
To Tell The Truth (ABC)
0.6
Young Sheldon (R) (CBS)
2.950 million
Friday, August 7
WWE Smackdown (Fox)
0.5
The Greatest #AtHome Videos (CBS)
3.712 million
Saturday, August 8
PGA Championship (CBS)
0.5
PGA Championship (CBS)
3.281 million
Sunday, August 9
Big Brother (CBS)
0.8
PGA Championship (CBS)
5.153 million
Monday, August 10
The Titan Games (NBC)
0.7
The Neighborhood (R) (CBS)
3.648 million
Tuesday, August 11
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
0.9
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
6.750 million
Wednesday, August 12
Big Brother (CBS)
1.1
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
6.150 million
Thursday, August 13
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
Big Brother (CBS)
4.019 million
Friday, August 14
WWE Smackdown (Fox)
0.6
The Greatest #AtHome Videos (CBS)
3.831 million
Saturday, August 15
America’s Funniest Home Videos (R) (ABC)
0.3
America’s Funniest Home Videos (R) (ABC)
2.556 million
Sunday, August 16
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
60 Minutes (R) (CBS)
6.998 million
Monday, August 17
The Neighborhood (R) (CBS)
Bob Hearts Abishola (R) (CBS)
0.4
The Neighborhood (R) (CBS)
3.521 million
Tuesday, August 18
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
0.7
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
5.577 million
Wednesday, August 19
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
5.141 million
Thursday, August 20
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
Big Brother (CBS)
3.907 million
Friday, August 21
WWE Smackdown (Fox)
0.6
Blue Bloods (R) (CBS)
3.943 million
Saturday, August 22
NBA Playoffs: Lakers v. Trail Blazers (ABC)
1.3
NBA Playoffs: Lakers v. Trail Blazers (ABC)
3.828 million
Sunday, August 23
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
60 Minutes (R) (CBS)
7.225 million
Monday, August 24
American Ninja Warrior (R) (NBC)
0.4
American Ninja Warrior (R) (NBC)
2.504 million
Tuesday, August 25
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
0.7
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
5.633 million
Wednesday, August 26
Big Brother (CBS)
1.1
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
4.998 million
Thursday, August 27
Big Brother (CBS)
1.0
Big Brother (CBS)
3.990 million
Friday, August 28
WWE SmackDown (Fox)
0.6
Blue Bloods (R) (CBS)
2.911 million
Saturday, August 29
NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 (NBC)
0.6
NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 (NBC)
3.869 million
Sunday, August 30
Black Panther (ABC)
1.4
Black Panther (ABC)
6.272 million
Monday, August 31
American Ninja Warrior All-Stars (NBC)
0.5
The Neighborhood (R) (CBS)
3.486 million


August was truly CBS's month. After two pretty horrendous months in the 18-49 demo, Big Brother brought them back to life. The long-running reality hit is responsible for ten of CBS's twelve victories in the 18-49 demographic. Its performance in total viewership is far weaker, only winning on uncompetitive Thursdays there and only making up three of eighteen viewership wins for CBS in August. Other 18-49 wins for CBS can be attributed to a PGA championship and repeats of The Neighborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola on a low-rated Monday. In viewership, The Greatest #AtHome Videos, 60 Minutes, the PGA Championship, Tough As Nails and repeats of The Neighborhood, Blue Bloods, Young Sheldon and 48 Hours joined Big Brother in securing CBS as the top network on broadcast in viewership once again.

Things get progressively worse for NBC as the months go on, at least in term of 18-49 wins. Last month, NBC saw only seven wins in the 18-49 demo, down from eleven in July. Over half of these wins can be attributed to America's Got Talent, which topped the night four times. Even with that, AGT wins were far less impressive this month as the show continued a downward trend. The Titan Games, now done for the season, gave them two 18-49 wins, and a weak American Ninja Warrior special, an ANW repeat and a NASCAR airing all gave them one win. In viewership, it was ten wins for NBC, with AGT winning eight times in this metric and NASCAR and the Titan Games each winning once. While boasting fewer wins in 18-49, the ten viewership wins for NBC is an uptick from July, and is due to an increased number of airings for their top show, America's Got Talent.

ABC had a modest month, with half the 18-49 wins they had in July (5 vs. 10). They did, however,  air some of the biggest broadcasts of the month. A somber win for them came from an airing of Black Panther, aired as a tribute to the late star Chadwick Boseman. That movie airing was the top program of the month on the big five in the 18-49 demo. The number two airing was also ABC's, a Saturday broadcast of an NBA Playoff game featuring the Lakers and Trail Blazers. An early-on Bucks and Rockets game also had a solid win for ABC with a 0.9. Other wins came to ABC via To Tell The Truth (in its first win of the season) and a repeat of America’s Funniest Home Videos. ABC only won the night in total viewership three times in August, steady with July, coming from aforementioned airings of Black Panther, NBA, and an AFV repeat.

Fox sported five 18-49 wins this month, and kicked off the month with a win for an MLB airing. After that win, though, their wins all came on Fridays with WWE SmackDown remaining a reliable, solid winner for Fox. Despite five 18-49 victories, Fox didn't top the night in viewership once, capping off the summer months with only one victory in that metric, from July.

All in, August was a month of change as CBS rushed from last place in June and July to first in August in terms of a volume of 18-49 wins, knocking off repeat champion NBC. That's the magical powers of actually being able to air original programming on multiple days for you. NBC and ABC were on the downturn, and Fox remained respectable but still tied for last.

Network
18-49 Wins
Viewership Wins
CBS
12
18
NBC
9
10
ABC
5
3
Fox
5
0


Cable:

Date
#1 Show(s) (18-49)
18-49 of #1 Show
#1 Show (Viewers)
Viewers of #1 Show
Saturday, August 1
NBA: Lakers v. Raptors (ESPN)
0.76
Justice with Judge Jeanine (Fox News)
2.456 million
Sunday, August 2
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
0.93
Yellowstone (Paramount)
3.626 million
Monday, August 3
90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way (TLC)
0.81
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.069 million
Tuesday, August 4
NBA: Rockets v. Trail Blazers (ESPN)
0.71
Hannity (Fox News)
3.965 million
Wednesday, August 5
NBA: Thunder v. Lakers (ESPN)
0.51
Hannity (Fox News)
3.968 million
Thursday, August 6
NBA: Lakers v. Rockets (ESPN)
0.71
Hannity (Fox News)
3.802 million
Friday, August 7
NBA: Celtics v. Raptors (TNT)
0.42
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.013 million
Saturday, August 8
NBA Basketball (TNT)
0.56
Justice with Judge Jeanine (Fox News)
2.436 million
Sunday, August 9
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
0.91
Yellowstone (Paramount)
3.828 million
Monday, August 10
90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way (TLC)
0.80
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.543 million
Tuesday, August 11
Hannity (Fox News)
0.44
Hannity (Fox News)
4.575 million
Wednesday, August 12
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Bravo)
0.51
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.143 million
Thursday, August 13
NBA: Trail Blazers v. Nets (TNT)
0.69
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.271 million
Friday, August 14
NBA: 76ers v. Rockets (ESPN)
0.42
Hannity (Fox News)
3.682 million
Saturday, August 15
UFC Fight Night (ESPN)
0.29
Justice with Judge Jeanine (Fox News)
2.601 million
Sunday, August 16
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
1.01
Yellowstone (Paramount)
3.994 million
Monday, August 17
NBA Playoffs: Mavericks v. Clippers (ESPN)
1.01
2020 Democratic National Convention (CNN)
4.848 million
Tuesday, August 18
NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers v. Lakers (TNT)
1.60
2020 Democratic National Convention (MSNBC)
4.564 million
Wednesday, August 19
2020 Democratic National Convention (CNN)
1.07
2020 Democratic National Convention (MSNBC)
6.187 million
Thursday, August 20
NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers v. Lakers (ESPN)
1.34
2020 Democratic National Convention (MSNBC)
6.225 million
Friday, August 21
NBA Playoffs: Clippers v. Mavericks (TNT)
0.93
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
3.733 million
Saturday, August 22
NBA Playoffs: Rockets v. Thunder (ESPN)
0.67
Justice with Judge Jeanine (Fox News)
2.737 million
Sunday, August 23
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
0.98
Yellowstone (Paramount)
5.158 million
Monday, August 24
NBA Playoffs: Lakers v. Trail Blazers (TNT)
1.34
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
7.063 million
Tuesday, August 25
NBA Playoffs: Mavericks v. Clippers (TNT)
1.05
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
7.899 million
Wednesday, August 26
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
0.80
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
7.088 million
Thursday, August 27
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
1.19
2020 Republican National Convention (Fox News)
9.043 million
Friday, August 28
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
0.39
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.273 million
Saturday, August 29
NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers v. Lakers (TNT)
1.19
NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers v. Lakers (TNT)
2.924 million
Sunday, August 30
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
0.95
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After (TLC)
3.388 million
Monday, August 31
NBA Playoffs: Rockets v. Thunder (ESPN)
1.19
Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)
4.932 million

The dominance of live events was far more prominent on cable than on broadcast.

The top network of August was ESPN, lurching in first after a third-place finish in July. They split coverage of the NBA with TNT, but still saw nine victories in the 18-49 demo directly attributed to the NBA, with the tenth victory being for a UFC match. Even with ten wins (some of them by large amounts), a victory in total viewership eluded them.

Right behind ESPN, coincidentally, was TNT. The other network airing NBA games took eight wins this month, all for NBA airings. Unlike ESPN, however, TNT was able to claim a single nightly victory in viewership.

Behind the two NBA-fueled networks was TLC, which declined in 18-49 victories from July but stayed respectable with seven wins in that metric for their juggernaut 90 Day Fiancé franchise. Unlike July, TLC also picked up a viewership win near the end of the month.

Fox News had a much weaker month than last week with half the 18-49 wins, slipping to fourth in this metric after a first-place finish in total nightly wins in July. Two of these 18-49 victories come from broadcasts of the 2020 Republican National Convention, with one win each for their primetime staples Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight. In viewership wins, they also dipped and saw five fewer victories than in July. Alongside the RNC, Hannity and Tucker, Justice with Judge Jeanine was a consistent viewership champion for Fox News, with four wins on Saturdays.

Coverage of the Democratic National Convention also did very well for the more left-leaning cable networks. CNN won once in both 18-49 and viewership (a first this summer). MSNBC, meanwhile, was down from last week's single 18-49 victory, never topping the night. However, they led the night in total viewership three times, for the second, third and fourth nights of the DNC.

Bravo had a single 18-49 victory for an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Paramount again was unable to win in 18-49 thanks to mighty competition from 90 Day Fiancé preventing their top show, Yellowstone, from making the top spot. However, Yellowstone remained a massive viewer magnet and finished a clean sweep of Sunday victories, never lsoing the night during its third season. With the show now over for the year, Paramount seems unlikely to reappear on this list.

Network
18-49 Wins
Viewership Wins
ESPN
10
0
TNT
8
1
TLC
7
1
Fox News
4
21
CNN
1
1
Bravo
1
0
Paramount
0
4
MSNBC
0
3


What do you think about the ratings for the month of August? What shows and networks impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments and join me next month when I break down the ratings from across September! Make sure to vote in the poll below on who you think was the biggest winner of August!

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