Can't watch fireworks at home? Millions choose NBC

David Bauder

Associated Press

Published: July 7, 2021 at 4:38 PM

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Fireworks explode over the New York City skyline during Macy's 4th of July fireworks display, late Sunday, July 4, 2021, as seen from Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

Fireworks explode from the Empire State Building and over the New York City skyline during Macy's 4th of July fireworks display, late Sunday, July 4, 2021, as seen from Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

View of the Macy's 4th of July fireworks display launched from the Empire State Building, late Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

2021 Invision

Fireworks explode over the New York City skyline during Macy's 4th of July fireworks display, late Sunday, July 4, 2021, as seen from Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

NEW YORK – More than 8 million people took in Fourth of July fireworks on television this year, watching NBC's coverage of the Macy's New York City celebration in one of two helpings.

The two-hour fireworks presentation drew 4.9 million viewers to NBC at 8 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, and 3.3 million watched a condensed version of the same show shortly after it ended.

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Traditionally, the week encompassing Independence Day is one of the least-watched television weeks of the year. The only other program to reach more than 7 million viewers in prime time was NBC's summer favorite, “America's Got Talent.”

NBC won the week with an average of 2.9 million viewers in prime time. CBS was second with 2.6 million, ABC had 2.3 million, Fox had 1.6 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1.1 million and Telemundo had 1 million.

TNT, riding three games of the NBA Conference Finals, led the cable networks with an average of 2.141 million in prime time. Fox News Channel had 2.139 million, ESPN had 1.58 million, MSNBC had 1.36 million and HGTV had 1.09 million.

ABC's “World News Tonight” led the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.5 million viewers. NBC's “Nightly News” had 6.4 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.8 million.

For the week of June 28-July 4, the most popular prime time programs, their networks and viewerships:

1. “America's Got Talent," NBC, 7.08 million.

2. NBA Conference Finals: Phoenix at L.A. Clippers (Wednesday), ESPN, 5.86 million.

3. NBA Conference Finals: L.A. Clippers at Phoenix (Monday), ESPN, 5.75 million.

4. NBA Conference Finals: Atlanta at Milwaukee (Saturday), TNT, 5.24 million.

5. “Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks,” NBC, 4.9 million.

6. NBA Conference Finals: Milwaukee at Atlanta (Thursday), TNT, 4.84 million.

7. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 4.66 million.

8. NBA Conference Finals: Atlanta at Milwaukee (Tuesday), TNT, 4.63 million.

9. “NCIS,” CBS, 3.72 million.

10. “The Neighborhood,” CBS, 3.64 million.

11. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 3.59 million.