Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 2/14/07
The following results are based on the fast national ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)
-Total Viewers:
Fox: 20.45 million, CBS: 12.57, NBC: 8.55, ABC: 7.92, CW: 3.23
-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 8.1 rating/21 share, CBS: 3.5/ 9, ABC: 3.3/ 8, NBC: 2.7/ 7, CW: 1.5/ 4
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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Bones (Fox), American Idol (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)
-Still a Player, But Not the Force it Once Was:
Lost (ABC)
-Yesterday’s Losers:
Return to Jericho (CBS), Friday Night Lights (NBC), George Lopez (ABC), The Knights of Prosperity (ABC), One Tree Hill (CW)
-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox, of course, led the midweek troops on the strength of blockbuster American Idol, which scored a typically mammoth 28.54 million viewers and a 12.1 rating/29 share among adults 18-49 at 9 p.m. But since there is more to an evening than American Idol, let’s begin with 8 p.m.
Fox’s Bones opened on a winning note at 12.36 million viewers and a 4.1/17 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m., with growth in the second half-hour (a result, perhaps, of pre tune-in for American Idol) of 1.61 million viewers (11.55 to 13.16 million) and 16 percent among adults 18-49 (3.8/11 to 4.4/12). CBS special Return of Jericho, which featured a look back at the previously telecast episodes, took a major backseat at 7.69 million viewers (#2) and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#4). But before we jump to any negative conclusions about Jericho, let’s see what happens next Wednesday when the first original episode of the second half of the season airs.
Also in the 8 p.m. hour were ABC comedies George Lopez (Viewers: #4, 7.15 million; A18-49: #2, 2.6/ 7) and The Knights of Prosperity (Viewers: #4, 4.87 million; A18-49: #5, 1.9/ 5), NBC’s Friday Night Lights (Viewers: #3, 7.43 million; A18-49: #2, 2.5/ 7), and the season-finale of Beauty and the Geek on the CW (Viewers: #5, 4.21 million; A18-49: #5, 1.9/ 5). Erosion for The Knights of Prosperity out of George Lopez of 2.28 million viewers and 27 percent among adults 18-49 is, no doubt, a major concern. As for Beauty and the Geek, it looks like the novelty has worn off.
Despite the severity of facing American Idol at 9 p.m., CBS sleeper Criminal Minds was amply sampled at a second-place 15.40 million viewers and a 4.0/10 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that built from lead-in Return to Jericho by a considerable 7.71 million viewers and 90 percent in the demo. Third in the hour was NBC’s midweek edition of Deal or No Deal (Viewers: #3, 9.60 million; A18-49: #3, 2.6/ 6), which is not helping the overall franchise by facing American Idol. Fourth was a repeat of ABC’s Lost (Viewers: 4.99 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 5), which never fares well in non-originals, followed by the CW’s hurting One Tree Hill (Viewers: 2.25 million; A18-49: 1.1/ 3). Although it wasn’t that long ago that the CW was touting One Tree Hill’s momentum, leave it to American Idol to take another casualty.
Without the benefit of any lead-in support, ABC’s once unstoppable Lost has -- excuse the pun -- lost steam in its new time period, Wednesday at 10 p.m., with a series-low 12.77 million viewers (#2) and a 5.6/14 among adults 18-49 (#1). While this is still a vast improvement over former occupants The Nine and Invasion, comparably that was a loss of 3.90 million viewers and 19 percent among adults 18-49 from its 9 p.m. average earlier this season (Viewers: 16.67 million; A18-49: 6.9/17). Absence (and a new time period), no doubt, do not always make the ratings’ heart grow fonder.
CBS’ CSI: NY led the 10 p.m. hour in total viewers, with 14.63 million, while finishing second behind Lost among adults 18-49 (4.4/11). Third was NBC’s disappointing Medium at 8.63 million viewers and a 3.0/ 8 among adults 18-49. Growth for Medium out of lead-in Deal or No Deal of 15 percent among adults 18-49 keeps it off the loser’s list. If upcoming mob drama The Black Donnellys does not fare well in the Monday 10 p.m. hour (when was the last time a mob drama worked on a broadcast network?), NBC would be wise if it shipped Medium back to its more successful time period.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
