'Idol' tops Olympics
in the major demos
Hit Fox show averages 23.6 million total viewers
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 17, 2010
The "American Idol" buzz saw plowed right through the Olympics last night, with "Idol" keeping alive a winning streak dating back to 2004.
Fox's "Idol" averaged 23.6 million total viewers and a 9.1 adults 18-49 rating from 8 to 10 p.m. against NBC's 19.7 million and 5.1 in the same slot for Winter Games coverage, according to Nielsen overnights.
"Idol" was down from a 10.1 last Tuesday, when Ellen DeGeneres made her judging debut, but even to the same night last year.
The Games plunged to their lowest numbers in five nights, and could be down compared to Turin in 2006 for the first time, although that will not be clear until final ratings come out later today.
The head-to-head win against the Olympics preserved an "Idol" winning streak among total viewers and 18-49s that has been going since May 2004, the last time "Idol" finished behind any competitor on those measures during any half hour.
Airing opposite the expanded "Idol" and the Olympics, ABC's "Lost" held up decently. It was off 10 percent from last week, to a 4.5 rating at 9 p.m., but about even to last year's third week.
Fox was first for the night among 18-49s with a 9.1 average overnight rating and a 22 share. NBC was second at 5.4/14, ABC third at 2.6/7, CBS fourth at 1.8/5, Univision fifth at 1.8/4 and CW sixth at 0.4/1.
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.
Also, ratings for NBC’s Olympics are approximate as fast nationals measure timeslot and not actual program data.
At 8 p.m. Fox led with an 8.8 for “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 1.5 for a “Lost” rerun and CW sixth with a 0.4 for a repeat of “90210.”
Fox was first again at 9 p.m. with a 9.3 for more “Idol,” while NBC remained second with a 5.6 for the Olympics. ABC was third with a 4.5 for “Lost,” Univision fourth with a 2.2 for “Sortilegio,” CBS fifth with a 1.8 for a repeat of “NCIS: Los Angeles” and CW sixth with a 0.4 for a “Melrose Place” rerun.
At 10 p.m. NBC took the lead with a 6.2 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 1.3 for “Aqui y Ahora.”
Among households, Fox led the night with a 12.9 average overnight rating and a 19 share, followed closely by NBC at 12.2/19. CBS was third at 6.3/10, ABC fourth at 3.9/6, Univision fifth at 2.2/3 and CW sixth at 0.6/1.
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