Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 5/07/08

The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 14.43 million, CBS: 11.01, NBC: 7.74, ABC: 6.51, CW: 3.05

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 5.0 rating/14 share, CBS: 2.7/ 7, NBC: 2.2/ 6, ABC: 2.1/ 6, CW: 1.5/ 4

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Supernanny (ABC), Farmer Wants a Wife (CW)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by fading American Idol, it was another Wednesday victory for Fox, which beat second-place CBS by an average 3.32 million viewers and 2.3 rating points among adults 18-49. Third overall was NBC, followed by ABC and the CW. Year-to-year, only NBC was on the plus side (and it is compared to hours Thank God You’re Here, Crossing Jordan and Medium on May 9, 2007).

The first half of an expanded edition of NBC’s overused Deal or No Deal and ABC’s Wife Swap shared leadership in the uneventful 8 p.m. hour as follows:

Wednesday 8-9 p.m.
Deal or No Deal (NBC)
Viewers: 7.59 million (#1), A18-49: 1.9 rating/6 share (#2t)

Wife Swap (ABC)
Viewers: 6.98 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 8 (#1)

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour were CBS’ The Price is Right (Viewers: #2, 7.59 million; A18-49: #5, 1.8/ 5), Fox sitcoms ‘Til Death (Viewers: #4, 6.04 million; A18-49: #2, 1.9/ 6) and Back to You (Viewers: #4, 6.89 million; A18-49: #4, 2.0/ 6), and America’s Next Top Model on the CW (Viewers: #5, 3.98 million; A18-49: #2t, 2.0/ 6). As we inch closer to Emmy season, Brad Garrett from ‘Til Death is a name that should be on the ballot for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. From what I am hearing, both ‘Til Death and Back To You will be returning next season.

Top-honors at 9 p.m., and the evening overall, fell in Fox’s court, of course, with American Idol at 22.39 million viewers and an 8.0/21 among adults 18-49. But one year earlier (on May 9, 2007), Idol averaged 28.20 million viewers and a 10.8/28 in the demo. That’s a huge decrease, folks.

Second behind Idol was CBS’ Criminal Minds at a healthy 12.85 million viewers and a 3.1/ 8 among adults 18-49, which built by double-digit percentages out of lead-in The Price Is Right. Also airing the 9 p.m. hour was the second half of NBC’s Deal or No Deal (Viewers: #3, 6.86 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.9/ 5), ABC’s Supernanny (Viewers: #4, 5.14 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.9/ 5), which lost an usually large chunk of its Wife Swap lead-in, and week two of CW dud Farmer Wants a Wife (Viewers: #5, 2.11 million; A18-49: #5, 1.0/ 3). Overall, Deal or No Deal averaged 7.22 million viewers and a 1.9/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m.

CBS moved into the winner’s circle at 10 p.m., with CSI: NY at 12.58 million viewers and a 3.3/ 9 among adults 18-49. Second was NBC’s veteran Law & Order (Viewers: 8.76 million; A18-49: 2.9/ 8), followed by ABC News Special: Audition: Barbara Walters’ Journey at 7.40 million viewers and a 2.0/ 6 in the demo. Growth of 2.26 million viewers out of Supernanny keeps the news special on Barbara Walters special off the list of losers.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

NBC is killing Deal or No Deal. They need to give it a rest.

So how many posts in this thread will relate in some way to Marc using the word 'fading' in reference to AI?

I'm guessing 37.

Anybody else want to play?

Im glad Til Death and Back to You are coming back they sould because they get preety much the same amount of viewers each week and for a comedy on fox its not that bad.

Also im really happy for Law and Order it on it 18th season and is getting preety good ratings against CSI:NY.

There are only so many viewers at 10pm and L&O get a good chunk of it.

By the way, I think last night episode of Law and Order was really good.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
So how many posts in this thread will relate in some way to Marc using the word 'fading' in reference to AI?

I'm guessing 37.

Anybody else want to play?

I'm more inclined to wager on whether the top excuse will be 'DVR' or 'Writer's Strike'

Boston Legal could've gotten 7.4 million viewers or more. No need to pre-empt it for Barbara Walters special.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
So how many posts in this thread will relate in some way to Marc using the word 'fading' in reference to AI?

I'm guessing 37.

Anybody else want to play?

Oooooo Oooooo me!

My quess is 42.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
So how many posts in this thread will relate in some way to Marc using the word 'fading' in reference to AI?

I'm guessing 37.

Anybody else want to play?

Including or not including yours?

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
So how many posts in this thread will relate in some way to Marc using the word 'fading' in reference to AI?

I'm guessing 37.

Anybody else want to play?

Ooooo Oooooo Me!

My guess is 42.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
NBC is killing Deal or No Deal. They need to give it a rest.

I know I've been saying this all month, NBC is relying on Deal or No Deal and its killing it.

I mean two hours each night.

Im surprised that it has been on this long with them doing this.

And it only starter in December of 05.

The good news for the CW is that FWAW didn't experience the second episode drop everyone was predicting and remained stable in the numbers. FWAW has gone better then Crowned, PCDP:G and B&TG and every other bad reality idea they greenlit and I would favor putting on another season of that before going into repeats on Friday and Sunday that will struggle to get 1 million viewers.

CSI NY needs a new night. A new drama should be taking over the Wednesday at 10 spot. I do wonder if CBS airing three aging CSIs on the same season is ruining some of the ratings and causing an overkill of CSI. I do wonder what would happen if two aired in the fall and one got benched. My guess is you would see the numbers for the other two at least hold steady if not improve.

Barbara Walters did worse than I expected. Deal or No Deal posted some really low numbers.

With those numbers, I question why Til Death and Back To You are returning. They aren't exactly dominating the timeslot. If they get moved to a lower profile like Fridays, I don't see them pulling in those numbers. If both return for fall, then it is a sign that FOX's developmental slate was not very strong, especially in the comedy area.

quote:

Ooooo Oooooo Me!

My guess is 42.

Okay, we're up to five. No wait, six! Just 31 more and I win!

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:

quote:

Ooooo Oooooo Me!

My guess is 42.

Okay, we're up to five. No wait, six! Just 31 more and I win!

But if it goes over i win.

He He

5.0 in demo for FOX on a AI night? Who would have thought. That is a sign that other networks should program agressively next year instead of cramming everything on Monday and Thursday.

TD and B2U should be on the loser list for sure.

DOND is slowly killed by NBC