On Thursday, NBC’s presentation of the 95th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade drew more than 25 million viewers.
According to NBC’s Nielson fast national data, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade earned a total of 25.4 million total viewers and a 6.4 rating in the adults 18-49 category on Thursday across the live broadcast and encore immediately afterward. Those figures were basically in line with last year’s event coverage, which was virtually non-existent due to the pandemic.
The live broadcast’s 5.5 rating in 18-49 and 21.7 million viewers are the highest for any entertainment show in 2021, according to the network, and the most since last year’s live parade telecast, which had 21.98 million viewers and a 5.8 rating.
As is customary on Thanksgiving Day, NBC broadcasted “The National Dog Show Presented by Purina,” which followed the parade. The two-hour programme had a live audience of 11.2 million people and a 2.8 rating among adults 18-49.
The increased circulation during the day, along with the customary Thanksgiving evening NFL showcase “Football Night in America,” paid off for NBC all the way until late at night. Total viewers for “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (2.7 million) and “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (1.5 million) were at their best levels since Thanksgiving 2019.
One of television’s oldest yearly events is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 1924, the parade began as a publicity stunt for the famous shop in Manhattan’s Herald Square. In 1953, NBC began broadcasting the tournament. For NBC, the show is a big live production. The parade has become a prime promotional showcase for family friendly entertainment fare, with its characteristic blend of gigantic inflatable character balloons, floats, marching bands, and performance parts.
The 95th Macy’s Parade was broadcast live on NBC and Peacock from 9 a.m. ET/PT, with Today’s Al Roker, Hoda Kotb, and Savannah Guthrie leading the NBC coverage. After last year’s event, which was limited to a one-block area with primarily pre-taped presentations, the parade travelled through Manhattan’s Upper West Side at 77th and Central Park West and ended in midtown at the Macy’s flagship, with throngs once again lining the sidewalks.
The National Dog Show was held on the same day as the parade, as is customary (2.8, 11.2M).
