NBC’s live production of “Hairspray” had nine million viewers on Wednesday night, making it the lowest-rated of the network’s four live musical events over the past three years.
Though it garnered mostly good reviews, “Hairspray Live!” saw a big drop from NBC’s production of “The Wiz Live!” last year, which had 11.5 million viewers. “Hairspray Live!” also had a smaller viewership than 2014’s “Peter Pan Live!,” which had 9.2 million viewers, and the 2013 live production of “The Sound of Music,” still the highest-rated at 18.6 million. The second-most-viewed of the recent spate of live musicals was Fox’s “Grease Live!,” with more than 12 million viewers, in January.
A scheduling change may have put in a dent in the ratings for “Hairsrpay Live!” NBC’s three previous musicals were all on Thursday nights, but this one was moved to Wednesday to accommodate NBC’s “Thursday Night Football” obligations. This is the first year the network has broadcast those games. (Then again, NBC’s three previous musicals all aired opposite football games on other networks.)
Still, “Hairspray” was the most-viewed TV show of the night, ahead of Fox’s “Empire” and CBS’s “Survivor.”
TV executives have used live events in recent years as an antidote to eroding ratings that have affected all networks. But even those events have taken a hit this year: Awards show ratings — like the Oscars, the Emmys and the Golden Globes — have been down, and N.F.L. prime time ratings have nose-dived.
Live theatrical events, however, are not going anywhere. NBC already announced that “Bye Bye Birdie” would be its live musical in December 2017, and the network will also broadcast a live rendition of “A Few Good Men,” which will be produced by Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the original play. Fox is looking to add another musical to its schedule next year and ABC has previously said that it is looking for its own projects.

www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/arts/television/hairspray-live-is-nbcs-lowest-rated-live-musical.html