The CMA Music Festival brought in plenty of primetime eyeballs for ABC Wednesday, but not enough to match the numbers the show put out last year.
While last night’s telecast scored 4.7 million total viewers and a 0.9 rating/4 share in the all-important adults 18-49 range, the 2017 fest landed 5.7 million viewers and a 1.2/5, slipping 17.5 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
However, the special still gave its home network a win in total viewers, though ABC settled for a second-place tie with NBC in the key demo. First prize in that category went to Fox.
Fox was first in ratings with a 1.0 rating/5 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and fourth in total viewers with an average of 3.3 million, according to preliminary numbers. At 8 p.m., “MasterChef” whipped up a 1.0/5 and 3.6 million viewers. “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” at 9 put up a 0.9/4 and 3 million viewers.
ABC and NBC tied for second in ratings both with a 0.9/4.
ABC was first in viewers with 4.7 million, with the 2018 country music festival filling up its entire primetime block.
NBC was second in viewers with 3.8 million. At 8, “World of Dance” posted a 1.1/5 and 4.7 million viewers. The “Reverie” season finale at 10 settled for a 0.4/2 and 2 million viewers.
CBS was fourth in ratings with a 0.8/4 and third in viewers with 3.6 million. “Big Brother” at 8 scored a 1.5/8 and 5.6 million viewers, followed by a pair of drama reruns.
Telemundo was fifth in ratings with a 0.5/3 and in viewers with 1.4 million.
Univision was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in viewers with 1.1 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.1/1 and in viewers with 694,000. At 8, “Burden of Truth” managed a 0.1/1 and 821,000 viewers, before a “Supergirl” encore.