Overnights
Fox's' American Idol' finale up slightly
By Diego Vasquez
May 22, 2008 - 11:38:36 AM

Over the course of this season, Fox’s “American Idol” suffered a declining viewership compared to last year. But last night's finale, in which 25-year-old David Cook was crowned the winner, beat that trend.

The two-hour finale averaged 30.6 million total viewers, a slight 4 percent increase versus the 29.5 million who tuned into last season’s finale.

The finale slipped slightly among viewers 18-49, from an 11.1 Nielsen overnight rating to an 11.0.

That follows Tuesday night’s penultimate episode, which was up 3 percent year-to-year in total viewers, according to overnight ratings, and flat among 18-49s.

Still, last night’s season-ender was off 16 percent from the 36.4 million viewers who watched the season finale two years ago.

Further, that decline came against relatively weak competition, the show airing opposite mostly reruns on the English-language networks. The two originals were CBS’s “Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular” at 8 p.m. and “Criminal Minds” at 9.

“Minds” was able to muster a 3.3 18-49 overnight rating in the 9 p.m. slot for its finale, up slightly from the 3.1 final rating it pulled the previous week, no small feat against the “Idol” decider.

Fox of course led the night among viewers 18-49 with its 11.0 average overnight rating and 29 share. CBS was second at 2.7/7, NBC and Univision tied for third at 1.7/4, ABC fifth at 1.2/3 and CW sixth at 0.6/2.

At 8 p.m. Fox was first with a 9.5 for the first half of “Idol,” while CBS and Univision tied for second at 1.8, CBS for "Price” and Univision for “Al Diablo con los Guapos.” NBC was fourth with a 1.3 for a repeat of “Law & Order,” ABC fifth with a 1.0 for a “Lost” rerun and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “Farmer Wants a Wife.”

Fox was first again at 9 p.m. with a 12.5 for the second half of “Idol,” followed by CBS with a 3.3 for “Minds.”

Univision was third with a 1.8 for “Fuego en la Sangre,” NBC fourth with a 1.2 for another “L&O” repeat, ABC fifth with a 1.0 for another rerun of “Lost” and CW sixth with a 0.7 for another encore of “Farmer.”

With Fox out at 10 p.m., CBS took the lead with a 3.1 for “CSI: NY,” with NBC second with a 2.5 for a new episode of “L&O.” ABC was third with a 1.5 for “Boston Legal” and Univision fourth with a 1.4 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

Among households, Fox was first for the night with a 17.3 average overnight rating and a 27 share. CBS was second at 6.9/11, NBC third at 4.4/7, ABC fourth at 2.9/5, Univision fifth at 2.1/3 and CW sixth at 1.2/2.