'Idol' resurges,
trumping the Olympics
Fox reality show averages 24 million total viewers
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 24, 2010
After losing its timeslot last week for the first time in six years, "American Idol" has started a new winning streak.
According to early numbers, Fox's hit reality show bested the Olympics in their third matchup, after finishing behind NBC last Wednesday.
"Idol" averaged 24 million total viewers and an 8.9 adults 18-49 rating from 8 to 10 p.m. last night, according to Nielsen overnights, compared to 20.8 million and a 5.0 for the Vancouver Winter Games during the same timeslot.
Ratings for NBC’s Olympics are approximate as fast nationals measure timeslot and not actual program data. Still, "Idol's" margin of victory is wide enough that there shouldn't be much of a change when final numbers come out this afternoon.
Last Wednesday, with the U.S. winning an epic six medals, NBC averaged 30 million viewers to "Idol's" 18.4 million in the 9 p.m. hour, when the two went head to head.
It marked the first time in six years any show had beaten "Idol." But last night "Idol," airing its first semifinalist round, was comfortably ahead despite the fact that the Olympics featured the usually popular ladies' figure skating short program.
The Games will have two more chances to knock off "Idol" over the next two nights, with the show expanding to a Thursday edition this week.
Fox finished first for the night among 18-49s with an 8.9 average overnight rating and a 22 share. NBC was second at 5.4/14, ABC third at 2.6/7, CBS fourth at 1.9/5, Univision fifth at 1.3/3 and CW sixth at 0.3/1.
As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Thirty-four percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
At 8 p.m. Fox was first with an 8.7 for the first half of “Idol,” followed by NBC with a 4.5 for the Olympics. CBS was third with a 2.3 for a repeat of “NCIS,” Univision fourth with a 1.7 for “Hasta que el Dinero Nos Separe,” ABC fifth with a 1.6 for a “Lost” rerun and CW sixth with a 0.3 for a repeat of “90210.”
Fox led again at 9 p.m. with a 9.1 for more “Idol,” while NBC remained second with a 5.6 for the Olympics. ABC was third with a 4.6 for “Lost” (up 0.1 from last week), CBS fourth with a 1.9 for a repeat of “NCIS: Los Angeles,” Univision fifth with a 1.3 for “Corazon Salvaje” and CW sixth with a 0.2 for a “Melrose Place” rerun.
NBC took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 6.1 for more Olympics, with ABC second with a 1.7 for “the forgotten.” CBS was third with a 1.4 for a repeat of “The Good Wife” and Univision fourth with a 1.0 for “Aqui y Ahora.”
Fox also led the night among households with a 13.3 average overnight rating and a 20 share. NBC was second at 12.6/19, CBS third at 5.9/9, ABC fourth at 4.0/6, Univision fifth at 1.9/3 and CW sixth at 0.6/1.
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