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In reality slugfest,
'Dance' tops 'Talent'

Averages a 3.1 in 18-49s to a 2.9 for the NBC show

By Toni Fitzgerald
Jul 2, 2009

In week two, the order was reversed.

Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” pulled ahead of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in their shared 9 p.m. timeslot last night, a week after the Wednesday night debut of “Talent” topped “Dance.”

“Dance” averaged a 3.1 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights, 0.2 ahead of “Talent.” Last week “Talent” had a 3.1 and “Dance” a 2.9 in the hour.

The two shows were well ahead of the other timeslot competition, and in fact out ahead of all the other shows last night. They are the two highest-rated entertainment shows on television this summer.

Among total viewers, “Talent” did maintain its edge, averaging 11.3 million to “Dance’s” 8 million.

“Dance” actually airs from 8 to 10 p.m., while “Talent” is only an hour long.

Those two hours gave Fox the edge it needed for the night. The network was first among 18-49s with a 2.9 average overnight rating and a 10 share. NBC was second at 1.9/6, ABC third at 1.8/6, CBS fourth at 1.6/5, Univision fifth at 1.4/4 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-two percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
 
At 8 p.m. Fox led with a 2.8 for the first half of “Dance,” followed by ABC with a 2.6 for “Wipeout.” NBC was third with a 1.4 for a repeat of “Talent,” Univision fourth with a 1.3 for “Cuidado con el Angel,” CBS fifth with a 1.2 for repeats of “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Gary Unmarried,” and CW sixth with a 0.3 for an “America’s Next Top Model” rerun.
 
Fox was first again at 9 p.m. with a 3.1 for the second hour of “Dance,” while NBC moved to second with a 2.9 for a new episode of “Talent.” CBS was third with a 1.8 for a repeat of “Criminal Minds,” Univision fourth with a 1.7 for “Mañana Es para Siempre,” ABC fifth with a 1.4 for “I Survived a Japanese Game Show” and CW sixth with a 0.4 for a repeat of “Hitched or Ditched.”
 
At 10 p.m. CBS led with a 1.7 for a “CSI: NY” rerun, with NBC second with a 1.5 for “The Philanthropist.” ABC was third with a 1.4 for “Primetime” and Univision fourth with a 1.1 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
 
Among households, NBC was first for the night with a 4.8 average overnight rating and a 9 share. CBS was second at 4.6/8, Fox third at 4.5/8, ABC fourth at 3.2/6, Univision fifth at 1.9/3 and CW sixth at 0.6/1.

Toni Fitzgerald is a staff writer for Media Life.	© 2009 Media Life Magazine

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