Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 3/11/09

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 18.01 million, CBS: 11.75, NBC: 5.62, ABC: 4.14, CW: 2.75

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 6.1 rating/17 share, CBS: 3.1/ 8, NBC: 1.8/ 5, ABC: 1.4/ 4, CW: 1.2/ 3

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

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
The Chopping Block (NBC), Life (NBC), Life on Mars (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by American Idol, Fox won this first Wednesday of the February 2009 sweeps (yes…it is a delayed sweeps period), beating second-place CBS by 6.26 million viewers and 3.0 rating points among adults 18-49. But the surprisingly positive news for Fox was relocated drama Lie to Me, which moved into the 8 p.m. hour with a dominant 11.12 million viewers and a 3.4 rating/10 share among adults 18-49. American Idol followed with 24.90 million viewers and a 8.8/23 in the demo at 9 p.m. -- the highest rated show of the evening, of course. One year earlier, however, Idol was stronger at 27.13 million viewers and a 10.3/26 among adults 18-49 on March 12, 2008, according to the final nationals. As for the show itself, Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez were, as predicted, the first two contestants to depart. For more on American Idol, listen to today’s PIPodcast at www.marcberman.tv.

CBS finished second in the 8-10 p.m. block with its combination of sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: 7.63 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) and compatible Gary Unmarried (Viewers: 7.71 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 7) and underrated drama Criminal Minds (Viewers: 14.07 million; A18-49: 3.6/ 9). While it would be easy for the Eye net to replace the questionable sitcoms with a one hour crime driven drama next season, a better strategy is to stick with sitcoms. If the network wants to establish a second night of comedies it needs to be patient. First at 10 p.m., meanwhile, was CBS’ CSI: NY with 13.52 million viewers and a 3.5/10 in the demo

In series-premiere news, NBC reality/competition The Chopping Block was DOA with a mere (and fourth place) 3.98 million viewers and a 1.4/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. One year earlier, Deal or No Deal scored 10.19 million viewers and a 2.5/ 7 in the demo in this time period (all year-ago comparisons are based on the final nationals). All I can say is…ouch! Leading out of The Chopping Block was sophomore drama Life (Viewers: #3, 5.30 million; A18-49: #3, 1.7/ 5 at 9 p.m.), which is likely to be facing the chopping block, followed by granddaddy Law & Order at a second-place 7.59 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. While Law & Order deserves accolades for building by double-digit percentages out of the second half of lead-in Life, let’s be honest: this show is certainly not what is used to be.

ABC traveled the repeat route from 8-10 p.m., with encore telecasts of Scrubs (two episodes – Viewers: #4, avg. 3.61 million; A18-49: #5, avg. 1.2/ 3) and Lost (Viewers: #4, 4.22 million; A18-49: #4, 1.6/ 4), which the network had promised would be airing in originals only. That led into soon-to-depart drama Life on Mars, which also lagged at 4.58 million viewers and a 1.5/ 4 in the demo at 10 p.m. That is certainly not groovy, man.

The CW capped off Wednesday with the still relatively potent America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #3, 4.47 million; A18-49: #3, 1.9/ 6) and a repeat of 90210 (Viewers: #5, 1.03 million; A18-49: #5, 0.4/ 1), which generates no interest in non-originals. Is anyone watching 90210?

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Here's some retention for ya: 90210 (R) retained 23% of the ANTM viewers and 21% of the ANTM demo. Yikes.

LTM is in the same spot where Bones has thrived as a de facto lead-in to CM and CSI:NY, and it looks like it may just thrive too.

quote:

Originally posted by spotupj:

LTM is in the same spot where Bones has thrived as a de facto lead-in to CM and CSI:NY, and it looks like it may just thrive too.

Yes, a tip of the cap to LTM, which surprised me, particularly since it did 10.20, 3.7 last week in the other slot.

quote:

Fox was relocated drama Lie to Me, which moved into the 8 p.m. hour with a dominant 11.12 million viewers and a 3.4 rating/10 share among adults 18-49. American Idol followed with 24.90 million viewers and a 8.8/23 in the demo at 9 p.m. -- the highest rated show of the evening, of course. One year earlier, however, Idol was stronger at 27.13 million viewers and a 10.3/26 among adults 18-49 on March 12, 2008, according to the final nationals. As for the show itself, Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez were, as predicted, the first two contestants to depart. For more on American Idol, listen to today’s PIPodcast at www.marcberman.tv.

CBS finished second in the 8-10 p.m. block with its combination of sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: 7.63 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7)

WoW!!!!!! for Lie To Me is a good show....

and not to bad for CBS either.... OC and Gu have good results too.

I hadn't watched CRIMINAL MINDS for awhile, and I stumbled into a good ep last nite. Its numbers were essentially unchanged from a few recent outings, so I guess the IDOL/LTM swap is a wash for it.

I don't watch NY, but from the promos it looked like they aired a personal story about a few cast regulars, probably accounting for its pickup from a few recent mediocre outings.

IMO - In this economy the safe play is the right play. As much as CBS wants a second night of comedies can they really have patience with 7M viewer shows? Much easier to double up the ratings by slotting in the NCIS spinoff at 8:00PM on Wednesdays next fall. Would all but guarantee 40M plus eyes in the 8-11PM hours.

The PROCEDURAL VS PROCEDURAL theory was just proven again last night with Lie to Me. It performed like Bones b/c it didn't have to go against CBS procedurals. That's a warning to all the other networks trying to program crime dramas. Put them on at 8pm. ABC better move The Unusuals and Castle immediately.

I agree they should be very patient with the CBS Happy Hour of comedies. They could easily put a procedural there but at what cost? There successful enough everywhere else on the schedule and its not like CM needs a lead-in. If this was a network then I would say put something there but this if the Tiffany Network. Good bounce back numbers for Christine and GU.

Christine and Gary was super funny last night!

NBC missing Knight Rider already huh?

I'll do a column later on folks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BlueLick,

How weird is it that LTM increased in viewership leading into American Idol vs. leading out of (vs. last week).

AMTM was third in the demo in the 8PM hour and increased its viewership and demo performance from last week. I think that deserves at least an honorable mention.

I think the Wednesday @ 8PM hour could use something of a new big hit.

I think this is the end of the line for L&O in prime real estate.

If NBC wanted to get serious about friday, they could put L&O at 8pm, where it could probably do about what it is doing now, and MEDIUM at 9pm, where it would build in the demo. L&O would counter pro GW, and MEDIUM would get some of the GW aud. Ironically, L&O might also feed some crime viewers to CBS at 9 as well as feeding MEDIUM a bit. Everybody wins.

This pairing was actually in the works, on paper, for the the season before this on Sunday, with L&O leading off the nite at 8pm.

NBC was better with Knight Rider.

quote:

Originally posted by BlueLick:
The PROCEDURAL VS PROCEDURAL theory was just proven again last night with Lie to Me. It performed like Bones b/c it didn't have to go against CBS procedurals. That's a warning to all the other networks trying to program crime dramas. Put them on at 8pm. ABC better move The Unusuals and Castle immediately.

Score a point for your theory. But in the end it's the shows. What worked for LTM may not work for CASTLE. Note that LTM is a little more, not alot, but a bit more along the lines of a CBS show. CASTLE is not. The pool of viewers to take from are CBS viewers who are out of pocket with the sitcoms.

quote:

Originally posted by KSO:
NBC was better with Knight Rider.

LOL, who ever thought we could make that statement ? This NBC is so putrid that they go from bad to worse. I never thought that was possible for any show from Knight Rider, but leave it to NBC to find a bomb that is even worse than KR.

Wow for Top Model! Really strong with limited competition at 8pm! CW should give Reaper some encores on Wed. at 9pm starting next week and perhaps even reair the first two eps tonight to help increase exposure (aren't they airing Smallville and Supernatural repeats?).

ABC: Wasted a sweeps night like no other. 2 more burn off eps of Homeland Security would be better than this.

CBS: Typical results. I agree with Marc on the comedy front. Next season, I would order 13 eps of Rules and 13 eps of Christine. Go with Rules in the fall and Christine at midseason. Should Rules perform, it gets a full season and Christine airs in place of repeats.

Fox: Lie to Me looks like the real deal. True test comes in the fall minus Idol.

NBC: Just as well replace Chopping Block and Life with 2 hour Datelines into Law and Order and burn off those shows on Friday and Saturday.

quote:

Originally posted by Seat42f:
Much easier to double up the ratings by slotting in the NCIS spinoff at 8:00PM on Wednesdays next fall.

I think that's the best place for the show on the schedule.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Lie to Me, which moved into the 8 p.m. hour with a dominant 11.12 million viewers and a 3.4 rating/10 share among adults 18-49.

Good numbers for LTM but the demo was down from its last showing but still, I am sure FOX will be happy with those numbers.

quote:

CBS finished second in the 8-10 p.m. block with its combination of sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: 7.63 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) and compatible Gary Unmarried (Viewers: 7.71 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 7)

Better numbers for the CBS comedy now the AI is out of the way. Still that is very low numbers compare to what other shows on CBS bring in.

quote:

and underrated drama Criminal Minds (Viewers: 14.07 million; A18-49: 3.6/ 9).

Very good numbers for CM, it had the toughest competition, AI and still did well. Plus CM had a great episode last night.

quote:

First at 10 p.m., meanwhile, was CBS’ CSI: NY with 13.52 million viewers and a 3.5/10 in the demo

Better numbers for CSI:NY than what it got recently. Unfortunately I miss the episode, will have to check the dvr.

quote:

While Law & Order deserves accolades for building by double-digit percentages out of the second half of lead-in Life, let’s be honest: this show is certainly not what is used to be.

L&O did okay considering its lead in.

quote:

Lost (Viewers: #4, 4.22 million; A18-49: #4, 1.6/ 4), which the network had promised would be airing in originals only.

Lost really don't repeat well....