Emmy ratings leap to highest level since 2005

The Emmy ratings are up. Way up.

Sunday’s three-hour telecast of the 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on CBS averaged 17.63 million viewers — the show’s largest audience since 2005. That year it also aired on CBS, but it didn’t have to compete with football on NBC.

The Bears-Steelers “Sunday Night Football” game on NBC was last night’s No. 1 primetime show, topping the Emmys by 12%, according to NBC Sports. Chicago was one of the top markets, which is about as surprising as “Modern Family” winning its fourth consecutive Emmy for best comedy series.

Ratings for last night’s Emmys, hosted by the always affable Neil Patrick Harris, measured 33 percent higher than last year’s awards ceremony when Jimmy Kimmel had the emcee honors.

In the key adult demo of 18-to-49-year olds, the broadcast had its best performance since 2006, according to Nielsen time adjusted fast national ratings.

CBS Research estimates approximately 40 million viewers watched all or part of the Emmys, which certainly contained its fair share of surprises. Read my recap here.

I’m guessing this isn’t the last of Harris as host. Maybe next time, he’ll even twerk.