‘Amazing Race’ is tops opposite Oscars

With ABC airing the Academy Awards last night, the other networks were largely in reruns.

CBS was the only Big Four network that aired an original show, “The Amazing Race.”

Not surprisingly “Race” was broadcast’s highest-rated show against the awards program, though it sunk to a series-low rating.

“Race” averaged a 1.8 adults 18-49 rating at 8 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, falling 28 percent from last week’s season premiere.

The dip was, of course, no surprise since the show aired against a half hour of red carpet coverage and the first half hour of the ceremony on ABC.

But it was easily the top non-Oscars program on the Big Four. The No. 2 show was a repeat of Fox’s “Family Guy,” the program created by Seth MacFarlane, who hosted the Oscars on ABC.

Ratings for the Oscars won’t be available until later today, and Media Life will post them as soon as they are available. The very early numbers indicate the show bettered last year’s rating in 18-49s.

ABC was first for the night among 18-49s with a 10.1 average overnight rating and a 25 share. Fox was second at 1.3/3, CBS third at 1.1/3, NBC and Univision tied for fourth at 0.8/2 and Telemundo sixth at 0.4/1.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Forty-seven percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

At 7 p.m. ABC was first with a 5.8 for Oscars red carpet coverage, followed by CBS with a 1.3 for “60 Minutes.” Fox was third with a 1.1 for repeats of “Bob’s Burgers” and “The Cleveland Show,” NBC fourth with a 0.8 for “Dateline,” Univision fifth with a 0.6 for “Aqui y Ahora” and Telemundo sixth with a 0.5 for the end of a Mexican league soccer match.

ABC increased its lead at 8 p.m. with an 11.5 for more red carpet and the first half hour of the Oscars, while CBS remained second with a 1.8 for “Race.” Fox was third with a 1.5 for reruns of “The Simpsons” and “Cleveland Show,” Univision fourth with a 0.9 for “Lo Qu Mas Quieres,” NBC fifth with a 0.8 for repeats of “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” and Telemundo sixth with a 0.3 for the movie “Jade Warrior.”

ABC led again at 9 p.m. with a 12.1 for the Oscars, with Univision second with a 0.9 for more “Quieres.” Fox was third with a 1.4 for repeats of “Guy” and “American Dad.” CBS and NBC tied for fourth at 0.7, CBS for a repeat of “The Mentalist” and NBC for a “Saturday Night Live” clip special, and Telemundo was sixth with a 0.4 for the end of “Jade Warrior” and start of the movie “Death Race 2.”

At 10 p.m. ABC was first with an 11.1 for the Oscars, with NBC and Univision tied for second at 0.9, NBC for its “SNL” special and Univision for “Sal y Pimienta.” CBS was fourth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “The Good Wife” and Telemundo fifth with a 0.4 for its movie.

ABC also led the night among households with an 18.7 average overnight rating and a 28 share, with CBS second at a 3.6/5, NBC third at 1.8/3 and Fox fourth at 1.7/3. Household rating for the Spanish-language networks weren’t immediately available.

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