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[03/15/12 - 08:58 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: "Idol" Stays on Top as Competition Hits Lows
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, march 14, 2012)

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

FOX (17.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1) as usual was the network to beat on Wednesday with a two-hour "American Idol" (17.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1).

A silver medal then went to CBS (11.05 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) with fresh installments of "Survivor: One World" (10.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3), "Criminal Minds" (11.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4) - its series low - and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.37 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (6.99 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - a season low, "Suburgatory" (6.30 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - a series low, "Modern Family" (10.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.4, #2) - a season low - and "Happy Endings" (5.51 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6) followed by a second "Revenge for Real" (4.46 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10) special.

Meanwhile, NBC (2.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up its mix of "Whitney" (4.01 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9) - its series low, "Are You There, Chelsea?" (2.90 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11) - likewise its series low, a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) - tied as its series low.

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and "America's Next Top Model" (1.05 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) on The CW (1.27 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Top Model" posted a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Happy Endings
+3.85% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 2/29/12)
0.00% - One Tree Hill
-5.36% - American Idol
-8.33% - Modern Family (vs. 2/29/12)
-9.38% - Survivor: One World
-9.68% - Criminal Minds (vs. 2/29/12)
-12.50% - Suburgatory (vs. 2/29/12)
-12.50% - Whitney
-14.29% - Revenge for Real
-16.67% - America's Next Top Model
-19.23% - The Middle (vs. 2/29/12)
-33.33% - Are You There, Chelsea?
-40.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Modern Family (vs. Modern Family (Repeat))
+75.00% - Suburgatory (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
+75.00% - The Middle (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
+55.56% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It)
+33.33% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
+25.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
+11.11% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It)
+3.85% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-6.45% - Survivor: One World
-12.50% - One Tree Hill (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-14.29% - Revenge for Real (vs. Off the Map)
-22.22% - Criminal Minds
-28.38% - American Idol
-60.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (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," 2.4/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's original "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/16/11):

FOX (22.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.4, #1) marched to victory on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (22.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.4, #1).

CBS (11.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home a distant second place with new episodes of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3), "Criminal Minds" (13.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (10.36 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4). Said numbers marked "Survivor's" lowest-rated regular telecast ever.

Next up was ABC (4.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (4.89 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), another "The Middle" (4.56 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and "Modern Family" (5.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) followed by fresh installments of "Mr. Sunshine" (4.59 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and "Off the Map" (4.23 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up an original "Minute to Win It" (3.25 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) - a series low - alongside repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.28 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) and a second "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.22 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (2.01 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (1.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (18.20%), Criminal Minds (0.00% vs. 3/2/11), Mr. Sunshine (0.00%), Off the Map (0.00%), Survivor: Redemption Island (-3.10%), American Idol (-7.50%), Minute to Win It (-10.00%), Shedding for the Wedding (-20.00%), America's Next Top Model (-27.30%).

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; 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," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat 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" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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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