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[10/28/10 - 08:42 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: World Series Puts FOX Over the Top
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, october 27, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (13.44 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) rode its coverage of the "World Series, Game 1" (13.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2) to victory on Wednesday.

CBS (11.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then had to settle for second place with its mix of "Survivor: Nicaragua" (11.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T3), "Criminal Minds" (13.94 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T3) and "The Defenders" (9.86 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Next up was ABC (7.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (9.43 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "Better With You" (7.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7), "Modern Family" (13.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1), "Cougar Town" (8.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "The Whole Truth" (4.56 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a fresh installment of "Undercovers" (5.41 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9) followed by repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) and "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (4.49 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (2.77 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) and "Hellcats" (2.16 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) closed out the night on The CW (2.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Better With You (19.00%), Hellcats (11.10%), Modern Family (8.50%), The Middle (7.70%), Cougar Town (6.50%), America's Next Top Model (0.00%), Survivor: Nicaragua (-2.90%), The Defenders (-4.50%), Criminal Minds (-5.60%), Undercovers (-6.70%), The Whole Truth (-14.30%).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.0/7) took top honors over ABC's "Nightline" (2.7/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.7/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.5/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.


Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/28/09):

FOX (17.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) overpowered the competition on Wednesday thanks to its coverage of the "World Series, Game 1" (17.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1).

ABC (6.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its mix of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (6.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9), "The Middle" (6.63 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6), "Modern Family" (9.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2), "Cougar Town" (7.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) and "Eastwick" (5.06 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11).

Next up was CBS (8.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3) with its all-repeat lineup of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (6.61 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T13), "Gary Unmarried" (6.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12), "Criminal Minds" (9.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and "CSI: NY" (9.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3) offered up the special "Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space" (6.93 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) followed by a repeat of the same "Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space" (5.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10) special and new episodes of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) and "The Jay Leno Show" (4.98 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #15).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (3.50 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T13) lead into a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.44 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) on The CW (2.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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