Since coming back to the air following the start of the writers’ strike, ratings for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart have been flat or registered some gains, while The Colbert Report has seen rather steady and substantial growth.
Both late-night shows began televising once again Monday, after being off the air since the Writers Guild of America went on strike Nov. 5.
This Monday through Wednesday, The Daily Show posted a 0.9 rating in persons18 to 49, down 2% versus the first three nights last year, Jan. 8 to 10, 2007, when the shows were coming back from Christmas hiatus, according to Nielsen Media Research data from Comedy Central.
The Daily Show from Jan 7-9 this week averaged 1 million viewers 18 to 49, flat versus last year, and 1.5 million total viewers, down 3% versus last year. Stewart has seen gains in younger male demographics, with a 1.4 rating for men 18 to 24, 43% ahead of last year, and a 1.4 rating for men 18 to 34, 10% ahead of last year.
The Colbert Report this Monday through Wednesday averaged a 0.9 rating for viewers 18 to 49, a 23% gain from last year. It averaged 1 million viewers age 18 to 49 viewers, 29% ahead of last year; 1.3 million total viewers, up 19% from last year; a 1.7 rating for men 18 to 24 rating, 145% ahead of last year; and a 1.6 rating for men 18 to 34, up 55% from last year, according to Nielsen data.
