Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 2/11/09

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 24.62 million, CBS: 11.02, ABC: 6.43, NBC: 5.88, CW: 1.01

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 9.4 rating/23 share, CBS: 2.9/ 7, ABC: 2.6/ 7, NBC: 1.6/ 4, CW: 0.4/ 1

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
Lost (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Knight Rider (NBC), Life (NBC), Life on Mars (ABC)

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Note: Any prior comparisons are based on the final nations.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by American Idol, Fox stood well above the competing networks on Wednesday, more than doubling the performance of second-place CBS. Third in both total viewers and adults 18-49 was ABC, followed by NBC and very distant the CW.

The first-hour of American Idol opened the evening for Fox with 24.29 million viewers and a 9.0 rating/24 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m., which beat the four competing networks combined by 6.46 million viewers and 67 percent among adults 18-49. Take a look:

-Wednesday 8-9 p.m.
American Idol (Fox)
Viewers: 24.29 million (#1), A18-49: 9.0/24 (#1)

The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) – 8 p.m.
Viewers: 7.06 million (#2), A18-49: 1.9/ 5 (#2)

Gary Unmarried (CBS) – 8:30 p.m.
Viewers: 6.86 million (#2), A18-49: 2.1/ 5 (#2)

Knight Rider (NBC)
Viewers: 5.40 million (#3), A18-49: 1.3/ 3 (#4)

Lost R (ABC)
Viewers: 4.39 million (#4), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#3)

Privileged R (CW)
Viewers: 1.08 million (#5), A18-49: 0.5/ 1 (#5)

American Idol also ruled with an iron fist, of course, from 9-10 p.m. with 24.96 million viewers and a 9.9/23 among adults 18-49. That put it at an average 24.62 million viewers and a 9.4/23 in the demo from 8-10 p.m. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

American Idol (Fox)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 23.20 million, A18-49: 8.5/23
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 25.37 million, A18-49: 9.4/24
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 25.09 million, A18-49: 9.8/23
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 24.84 million, A18-49: 9.9/23

But the fact that Tatiana Del Doro and Nick Mitchell (a.k.a. Norman Gentle) made it into the top 36 only proves that this is not a valid competition to find the best singer. It’s more about who has the ability to spike the ratings than sing the best. Don’t you agree?

While the pickings remain slim opposite Idol, worth noting for CBS’ Gary Unmarried was growth of 11 percent among adults 18-49 out of Old Christine.

Tied for second behind Idol at 9 p.m. was ABC’s Lost and CBS’ underrated Criminal Minds. Take a look:

Wednesday 9 p.m.
Criminal Minds (CBS)
Viewers: 13.26 million (#2), A18-49: 3.3/ 8 (#3)

Lost (ABC)
Viewers: 9.76 million (#3), A18-49: 4.4/10 (#2)

For Lost, this is a huge loss of audience from its heyday of about 20-million viewers. But still worthy of honorable mention for delivering opposite American Idol.

Capping off the 9 p.m. hour was NBC drama Life (Viewers: 4.72 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 3), which could be facing death, and a repeat of the CW’s 90210 (Viewers: 936,000; A18-49: 0.4/ 1).

CBS moved into the winner’s circle at 10 p.m. care of CSI: NY, which averaged 12.84 million viewers and a 3.5/ 9 among adults 18-49 -- the perfect fit out of Criminal Minds. Second was NBC granddaddy Law & Order (Viewers: 7.52 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6), which is worthy of positive mention for building by 2.86 million viewers and 57 percent in the demo out of the second half of Life (Viewers: 4.66 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 3 at 9:30 p.m.). And third was ABC’s recently relocated Life on Mars at just 5.14 million viewers and a 1.9/ 5 among adults 18-49. Sorry Life on Mars fans…the show is just not working. And the problem, I think, is the lack of any character you can relate to. The scenery may be groovy, but you just cannot relate to the characters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Folks...I screwed up the name of the forum from one day earlier...it should have read Tuesday 2/10/09. But I am not going to erase it because of all the comments on it.

well, Lost was against AI, a drop like this was expected IMO. It's just sad to see it under 10m..

Lost's numbers

quote:

Knight Rider (NBC)
Viewers: 5.40 million

It's hard to read this show. One week it's up, then down, now middle. It is holding itself against AI.

I'm not sure the reasoning for putting Tatiana or Nick through. Personally Tatiana is so grating that when she speaks I want to change the channel so I dont think ratings will be spiking anytime soon (even if her singing voice is tolerable). Plus its now up to the people and I think she'll be gone in a hurry.

Marc, would it be possible for you to post the half hour numbers for Criminal Minds?

Honorable mention for Lost? This must be a joke. And i wouldn't consider CM a winner either

BTW told you Lost is going below 10 million.

"Lost" was incredible last night!

I know I sound like a fangirl, but this was one of the best so far this season and I'd probably put it in the top 20 episodes ever (so far). It really felt like two episodes crammed into one. So much happened.

We got nearly the entire Danielle Rousseau backstory that we've waited five years for all before the opening credits!

Jin flashing in and out of Danielle's story reminded me so much of the Vic Morrow segment of "Twilight Zone: The Movie".

This show continues to wow me!

As for the ratings drop, it's expected. "Lost" isn't a leisure show for anyone just to turn out and chill out to. It's in no way going to gain casual TV viewers.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Honorable mention for Lost? This must be a joke. And i wouldn't consider CM a winner either

BTW told you Lost is going below 10 million.

with 4.4 in the key demo and absolutely no lead in, i would even go as far as considering lost a winner.

quote:

Originally posted by DEMOS:
Marc, would it be possible for you to post the half hour numbers for Criminal Minds?

You mentioned in the other thread that CM was preempted for Basketball. What market was that in? If it was a big market, ratings will likely be lower in finals once the BB fans are subtracted out.

Christine and GU should be canceled. I thought GU was going to become a decent sitcom but insted it's worse with every episode

I truly don't understand why during late 80s and 90s there were so many great sitcoms and now almost all of them turn out horrible.

I'm still enjoying Life with the other 4.72M viewers. As far as it facing death. I think NBC Uni would be stupid not to just move it over to USA and let it pair with something like In Plain Sight or even Burn Notice. Would probably get close to the same #s which would make it a "hit" on cable.

FOX A Demo-Magnet in Week 18, CBS a Strong Second, ABC & NBC Now Tied for Third

After three nights of Week 21, FOX holds a wide lead over all the other nets in A18-49 with a solid 6.53 average. CBS is strong in second with a 3.67 average, while ABC and NBC are tied for third with identical 2.83 averages. Univision is fifth with 1.70, The CW is sixth with a 0.67, and MyNetworkTV last with 0.34.

In viewers, FOX leads with an average of 17,623,000 viewers, while CBS is second, NBC third, ABC fourth, Univision fifth, The CW sixth and MyNetworkTV is down at the bottom.

CBS and ABC are the only networks showing improvements in both demo and viewers over last season.

Week 21, Three Nights (2 Finals, 1 FASTnat)
# Network A18-49 (%YOY) Millions of Viewers (%YOY)
====================================================
1. FOX 6.53  (-17%)  17.623  (-8%)
2. CBS 3.67  (+51%)  14.080 (+74%)
3. NBC 2.83  (-11%)   7.897 (-20%) 
3. ABC 2.83  (+44%)   7.427 (+20%)
5. UNI 1.70   (-3%)   4.260  (+3%) <- 2 nights
6. CW  0.67  (-11%)   1.473 (-17%) 
7. MNT 0.34  (-40%)   1.080 (-16%) <- 2 nights

YOY = Year-Over-Year increase/decrease to same week last year.

Year-Over-Year 7-Network Demo/Viewer Growth(+)/Erosion(-)
Night A18-49 +/- Viewers +/-
=========================================================
Week 21:
--------
Monday:       A: +15% V: +18% final
Tuesday:      A:  -8% V:  +2% final
Wednesday:    A:  +7% V:  +8% prelim

Week-to-Date: A:  +4%  V: +9%
  

quote:

Originally posted by MrLinus:

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Honorable mention for Lost? This must be a joke. And i wouldn't consider CM a winner either

BTW told you Lost is going below 10 million.

with 4.4 in the key demo and absolutely no lead in, i would even go as far as considering lost a winner.

Maybe if the show was GU, not a show that was getting 25 million viewers

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Christine and GU should be canceled. I thought GU was going to become a decent sitcom but insted it's worse with every episode

I truly don't understand why during late 80s and 90s there were so many great sitcoms and now almost all of them turn out horrible.

Talent pool. 80/90s there were less options so you ended up with whole teams of talented writers. Lucky today to get one per show with all the options on cable and net tv.