Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 1/24/08

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

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 11.21 million, Fox: 10.32, NBC: 7.59, ABC: 7.04, CW: 1.98

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 3.2 rating/9 share, NBC: 3.1/ 8, CBS: 2.6/ 7, ABC: 2.4/ 7, CW: 0.7/ 2

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Also, since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 9 percent in early 2006-07 to approximately 20 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox), CSI R (CBS), Celebrity Apprentice (NBC), Without a Trace R (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Chuck (NBC), Big Shots (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox remained the most improved network on this fourth Thursday of January, finishing first among adults 18-49. CBS was No. 1 in total viewers. The first-half of a two-hour edition of Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? won the 8 p.m. hour, with 10.47 million viewers and a 3.2 rating/9 share among adults 18-49. Comparably, that was a hefty increase from year-ago occupants ‘Til Death (an encore telecast, Viewers: 5.41 million; A18-49: 2.0/ 6) and The War at Home (Viewers: 4.77 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 5).

Also in the 8 p.m. hour were ABC’s Ugly Betty (Viewers: #2, 8.92 million; A18-49: #2, 3.0/ 8), a repeat of CBS’ CSI: NY (Viewers: 8.60 million; A18-49: #4, 1.8/ 5), the return of NBC’s Chuck (Viewers: #4, 6.88 million; A18-49: #3, 2.7/ 7), and a repeat of the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5, 2.12 million; A18-49: #5, 0.8/ 2). The original installment of ABC’s Ugly Betty could not, unfortunately, match the 9.84 million viewers and a 3.3/ 9 among adults 18-49 for an encore telecast one year earlier.

A repeat of CBS’ CSI was the most-watched show of the evening, with 13.28 million viewers (and a second-place 3.3/ 9 among adults 18-49 from 9-10 p.m.). NBC’s competing Celebrity Apprentice was the highest rated show overall among adults 18-49 (3.7/10), with a third-place finish in total viewers (8.87 million) in the hour. The second half of Fox’s expanded Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? was competitive at 10.18 million viewers (#2) and a 3.3/ 9 in the demo (#2t). Overall, the Jeff Foxworthy hosted game show averaged a healthy 10.32 million viewers and a 3.2/ 8 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m.

Also airing from 9-10 p.m. was a repeat of Gray’s Anatomy on ABC (Viewers: #4, 7.22 million; A18-49: #4, 2.5/ 6), and a repeat of the CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 1.84 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2).

Most-watched at 10 p.m. was a repeat of CBS’ Without a Trace with 11.74 million viewers (and a second-place 2.8/ 8 among adults 18-49). Although a second telecast of Chuck inched past the Without a Trace encore in the demo (2.9/ 8), retention out of the second half of lead-in Celebrity Apprentice (3.8/10) was just 76 percent. Chuck was second in total viewers, with 7.02 million. Last was ABC’s failing Big Shots (Viewers: 4.97 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5), which probably would have been canceled by now has it not been for the writers strike.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Chuck at 10 didn't do that bad.

It looks like Fox is going to have a "super" spring. If MOT can hold 75-80% of Idol, then FOX has a shot of beating CBS in total viewers for the first time ever. Was NBC the last network to lead the season in viewers?

I don't understand why NBC had to burn two episodes of Chuck as well on the same night. They could of put back on Monday and given AG a couple nights off or DOND, which really needs a break. I thought Chuck was one of the few bright spots for them too. Hmmm...wonder why they are in 4th so far this year.

The network that looks in worse shape than CBS going into spring, would be ABC. They have finished every night this week in last. I don't think Lost is going to save the network at all. What happened to Samantha Who? Did they only have a handful of episodes? I guess when DWTS comes back, not sure when that is, that's the only thing to save them. They had so much momentum in the fall. The writers strike again.

BTW, is House gonna air after the super bowl, seems like a waste. I'd put MOT or SCC again. House is already a hit, let some other show get some air time. Or maybe Canterbury's Law or something else they have hidden away.

Not too good for Betty or Chuck.
Chuck didn't do too bad at 10 though. NBC are better off leaving it Mondays.

Chuck took a serious hit moving to Thursday. I wonder if that will affect its chances for a second season or if the PTB will write it off as their own stupidity.

ABC needs some serious help! I don't think Lost will fix it all either.

quote:

Originally posted by GMYERS:
Chuck at 10 didn't do that bad.

Unless the theory is that Chuck would work much better with the comedies than with The Apprentice, I think it is safe to say that NBC isn't going to consider Chuck for the Thursday lineup anytime soon. The only good thing about the 10pm Chuck rating is that it was as good as the 8pm rating, so maybe NBC does have the option to move Chuck later into the evening without killing it.

Can Lost compete ratings wise against CSI's repeats?

ABC needs help and one show won't cut it. The network can't survive on DWTS. It at least needs Desperate Housewives back, it's #1 scripted show.

The one-time tryouts have been negative for pretty much every show that's gotten them this year (WMC and Life are two others that come to mind) and it puts NBC in a bit of a pickle, with Gladiators doing so well at Mon 8pm. I definitely wouldn't go so far as to say that Chuck is now going to be canceled, but I think sticking with Chuck/Heroes to lead off Mondays is now more likely, while Gladiators goes somewhere else (maybe transplant Gladiators/Deal to Wednesdays in the fall?)

quote:

Originally posted by Lost_Dom:
Not too good for Betty or Chuck.
Chuck didn't do too bad at 10 though. NBC are better off leaving it Mondays.

Ever since CBS axed Judging Amy, shows with the Characters first name in the title have done bad. (Rodney, According to Jim, George Lopez, Michael Richards, etc...)

When will the networks learn that people don't want first names!

quote:

Originally posted by KSO:
Can Lost compete ratings wise against CSI's repeats?

.

Of course

quote:

Originally posted by KSO:
Can Lost compete ratings wise against CSI's repeats?

ABC needs help and one show won't cut it. The network can't survive on DWTS. It at least needs Desperate Housewives back, it's #1 scripted show.

Not being a LOST fan and being a big CSI fan, I fully expect LOST to win every week against CSI. But CSI will still hold strong with its repeats.

Does NBC have one semi-intelligent person making decisions? The answer seems like No.

Of course Chuck's numbers went down. They randomly put the 2 unaired episodes on a night it has never been on before without first airing repeats or really hyping it up, and last night is what was bound to happen.

Every single person who makes decisions for NBC needs to be fired and replaced with someone else with creativity and intelligence.

The sad thing is, that NBC being as pathetic as they are, they might take the numbers from last night at face value without realizing they are to blame for the numbers and cancel the show..

quote:

Originally posted by Holly:
Chuck took a serious hit moving to Thursday. I wonder if that will affect its chances for a second season or if the PTB will write it off as their own stupidity.

ABC needs some serious help! I don't think Lost will fix it all either.

Chuck will be back next year. It might be the only scripted show that NBC brings back, though.

ABC: Ugly Betty is proving that lead-out matters just like lead-in. The show looks so weak that a significant number of viewers are not even bothering to tune in for it if they can't watch a new Grey's Anatomy afterwards.

quote:

Originally posted by TV-aholic:
Not being a LOST fan and being a big CSI fan, I fully expect LOST to win every week against CSI. But CSI will still hold strong with its repeats.

Lost will win the demo, but I'm not so sure it will win the viewer race after the first week or two.

really? 7 million for a new episode of a 10PM airing is NOT good. especially when there was really no competition. Pathetic.

quote:

Originally posted by GMYERS:
Chuck at 10 didn't do that bad.