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[02/16/12 - 08:28 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: Expanded "Idol" Sends Competition to Season Lows
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, february 15, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (18.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) overshadowed the competition on Wednesday with a two-hour edition of "American Idol" (18.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1).

CBS (11.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then snagged a distant second place with the launch of "Survivor: One World" (10.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3) - the franchise's lowest-rated premiere ever - followed by new episodes of "Criminal Minds" (11.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3) - its season low - and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.06 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5).

Next up was ABC (7.86 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and its mix of "The Middle" (8.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6), "Suburgatory" (6.93 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8), "Modern Family" (11.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.7, #2), "Happy Endings" (5.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6) and "Revenge" (7.60 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8). All five series hit or matched their season lows (excluding Thanksgiving eve) in the key demo.

Meanwhile, NBC (4.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Whitney" (4.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "Are You There, Chelsea?" (3.49 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) - tied as its series low, "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.05 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) - its series low.

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.36 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) and "Remodeled" (0.50 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.93 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.3 rating while "Remodeled" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+6.67% - Whitney
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
0.00% - One Tree Hill
-3.85% - The Middle
-4.00% - Revenge
-4.00% - Suburgatory
-6.67% - Are You There, Chelsea?
-11.76% - Criminal Minds
-14.55% - Modern Family
-16.67% - Happy Endings
-22.73% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-27.27% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-50.00% - Remodeled

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - One Tree Hill (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+60.00% - Revenge (vs. Off the Map)
+45.45% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It)
+33.33% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+27.27% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It)
+9.30% - Modern Family
+8.70% - The Middle
-3.85% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
-6.25% - Survivor: One World
-6.25% - Criminal Minds
-18.18% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-20.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It (S))
-22.73% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-25.93% - American Idol
-33.33% - Remodeled (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/4; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/16/11):

FOX (22.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with its newly expanded two-hour "American Idol" (22.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1).

CBS (12.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then claimed the silver with the bow of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (11.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T4) followed by a new "Criminal Minds" (12.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T4) and the launch of "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (12.91 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3).

Next up was ABC (6.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and its mix of "The Middle" (7.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7), "Better With You" (5.86 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9), "Modern Family" (10.54 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Mr. Sunshine" (7.01 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6) and "Off the Map" (4.33 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up "Minute to Win It #1" (3.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), "Minute to Win It #2" (3.45 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (7.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "The Vampire Diaries" (0.79 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.06 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): American Idol (-2.40%), Better With You (-10.00%), The Middle (-11.50%), Criminal Minds (-13.50%), Modern Family (-14.00%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-15.40%), Minute to Win It #1 (-15.40%), Off the Map (-21.10%), Mr. Sunshine (-29.70%), Minute to Win It #2 (-56.50%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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