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[02/07/14 - 08:37 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: "Idol" No Match for Bonus Night of Olympics
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (2/6/14):

The bonus night of "Olympics 2014 Primetime" (19.556 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) coverage rocketed NBC (19.556 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) to the top spot on Thursday.

CBS (10.411 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (17.204 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.0, #2), "The Millers" (10.932 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "The Crazy Ones" (7.551 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7), "Two and a Half Men" (8.125 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5) and "Elementary" (9.326 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5).

Next up was FOX (7.643 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "American Idol" (10.944 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Rake" (4.343 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.220 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up a new "The Taste" (3.167 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and a repeat "Shark Tank" (3.326 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.128 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and "Reign" (1.664 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.896 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Taste
-1.96% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.23% - American Idol
-3.57% - The Millers
-5.26% - Two and a Half Men
-10.00% - Elementary
-10.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-10.53% - The Crazy Ones
-14.29% - Reign
-15.38% - Rake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+314.29% - Olympics 2014 Primetime
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-18.03% - The Big Bang Theory
-18.18% - The Vampire Diaries
-21.74% - Elementary
-26.83% - American Idol
-34.15% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-43.75% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-46.88% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest)
-50.00% - Rake (vs. Glee)
-54.55% - The Taste (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat)/Grey's Anatomy)

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

· Jay Leno's final telecast hosting "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" has delivered the show's highest overnight rating in nearly five years, since March 2009.

· Leno averaged a 9.2 rating, 22 share in households in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research (with the Philadelphia market excluded last night), best since March 19, 2009 (the night President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to appear on a late-night talk show, 11.3/26).

· The final "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" more than tripled the show's season average in metered-market households, 2.8/7 heading into this week.

· "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" followed last night with its highest rating ever, a 4.6/15 in metered-market households. That tops the prior record of a 4.2/12 with a special 11:56 p.m. ET telecast on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The prior high for a weeknight "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" was a 3.9/13 on March 19, 2009, the night of President Obama's appearance on "Tonight." The 4.6 is also the highest for the "Late Night" franchise since "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" earned a 4.6/20 on Thursday, May 14, 1998, the night of the "Seinfeld" finale.

· Fallon tripled the show's 1.5 season average in metered-market households heading into this week.

· Guests on "Tonight" Thursday included Billy Crystal and Garth Brooks, with appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Jack Black, Carol Burnett, Sheryl Crow, Jim Parsons, Kim Kardashian and Chris Paul. Appearing in taped messages were Jimmy Fallon, Bob Costas, Steve Carell, Olivia Wilde, Miley Cyrus, Martha Stewart, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Sheen, Tyler Perry, Bill Maher, Kevin Hart, Dana Carvey, Larry the Cable Guy and President Barack Obama.

· The Feb. 6 edition of "Late Night" featured Colin Farrell, Chris Pratt and musical guest 2 Chainz.

· Fast-official national ratings for "Tonight" and "Late Night" are expected later today.


Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/7/13):

CBS (14.226 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (18.849 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (14.145 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T2), "Person of Interest" (15.162 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "Elementary" (11.020 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7).

FOX (9.609 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "American Idol" (13.153 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T2) and "Glee" (6.065 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

Next up was ABC (7.199 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with an encore of "Shark Tank" (4.779 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.822 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "Scandal" (7.996 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.206 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) served up the return of "Community" (3.978 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11) alongside new episodes of "Parks & Recreation" (3.832 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10), "The Office" (4.250 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9), "1600 Penn" (2.814 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and week two of "Do No Harm" (2.180 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.499 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.519 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (2.009 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+17.65% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 1/24/13)
+15.09% - The Big Bang Theory
+10.71% - Grey's Anatomy
+5.13% - Two and a Half Men
+4.76% - Glee
+4.55% - Elementary
+3.70% - Scandal
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - The Office
-8.89% - American Idol
-14.29% - Beauty and the Beast
-15.38% - 1600 Penn (vs. 1/24/13)
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries
-22.22% - Do No Harm

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
+21.74% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+20.59% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
+20.00% - Community (vs. 30 Rock)
+10.91% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.03% - Person of Interest
-4.35% - Glee (vs. The Finder)
-8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.00% - The Office
-20.51% - Grey's Anatomy
-20.69% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-25.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-28.07% - American Idol
-38.89% - 1600 Penn (vs. Up All Night)
-53.33% - Do No Harm (vs. The Voice (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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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