NBC Wins Midterm Election Night’s Broadcast Ratings Race

Tuesday’s early returns are in — and the Nielsen ones too. NBC beat ABC and CBS in TV ratings on midterm election night, when Fox broadcast channel aired a pair of scripted dramas.

Here are the metered market averages for NBC, ABC and CBS from 8-11 p.m., which is primetime:

NBC 2018 Midterm Election Coverage: 4.2 rating/7 share

ABC 2018 Midterm Election Coverage: 4.0 rating/6 share

CBS 2018 Midterm Election Coverage: 3.0 rating/5 share

Those are Nielsen’s overnight ratings, which come out earlier — but are more accurate in terms of time zone adjustments — than the fast national ones, which we report daily. Official numbers are expected by 1 p.m. ET. That is when we will have an accurate total-viewer tally.