'Idol' builds nearing finale and season end Only one week remains in the broadcast season and only one week remains before a winner is announced on Fox’s "American Idol," meaning viewer interest is growing in the hit show. "Idol" averaged a 10.4 adult 18-49 rating on Tuesday--up more than 5 percent from last week--and had an 11.3 in its second half-hour. The talent show dominated its 8 p.m. time slot and beat the combined rating on the Big Three networks by nearly 3 points. "24" followed "Idol" and ranked No. 1 in the 9 p.m. time slot with a 6.1 rating. It lost 44 percent of "Idol’s" lead-in but beat the average of "According to Jim" and "Less Than Perfect" on No. 2 ranked ABC by more than 2 rating points. NBC’s "Frasier" and "Watching Ellie" trailed in a distant third place. Fox averaged an 8.2 adult 18-49 rating, while ABC had a 3.7, NBC had a 3 and CBS had a 2.9. Ratings are based on preliminary Nielsen data. Meanwhile, ABC ranked No. 1 at 10 p.m. with "NYPD Blue." The long-running drama had a 4.8 rating. CBS and NBC essentially tied with a 3.5 rating in the time period with "Judging Amy" and a farewell to Jane Pauley on "Dateline."

CBS wins Monday with its regular lineup
CBS was the top-rated network on Monday with its usual lineup of sitcoms and “CSI: Miami,” while ABC and NBC had mixed results with May sweeps stunts. CBS averaged a 5.2 adult 18-49 rating, based on preliminary Nielsen data, and was the highest rated network from “Everybody Loves Raymond” at 9 p.m. through “Still Standing” and “CSI: Miami” at 10 p.m.  That drama, in fact, was the highest rated show of the night with a 6.6 in the demo. NBC had a 4.6 rating and was competitive throughout primetime, starting with the No. 1 ranked “Fear Factor” season finale at 8 p.m.  Even the poorly reviewed “Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three’s Company” pulled in decent ratings.  The two-hour movie was No. 2 in its time slot with a 4.6.  It improved its rating one-tenth of a point each half-hour. Fox ranked No. 3 with a 3.3 rating with “Boston Public” and “Mr. Personality.” ABC had far less luck than NBC with a two-hour movie.  “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” trailed in last place for its entire run as did “All ABC Bloopers” before it.  The network had a 2.6 adult 18-49 rating.

Katie does no wrong; Jay, don't quit your night job
Where Katie goes, ratings follow, but not so much for Jay Leno. “Today” and “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” both earned strong ratings as hosts Katie Couric and Leno switched jobs for a sweeps stunt, but Couric’s guest appearance produced a bigger surge. The perky journalist pushed “Tonight” to its best household ratings since May 18, 2000, according to metered-market results. The 7.1 average and 17 share also tied the Jan. 4, 2001, “Tonight” and was the highest-rated Monday edition of the show since April 29, 1996 (excluding Olympic coverage from that year). Couric trounced CBS’s “Late Show With David Letterman” by 82 percent and ABC’s “Nightline”/“Jimmy Kimmel Live” by even more. During the morning, “Today” scored a 5.9 rating, its highest local-market average since March 20, the day after the war in Iraq began. The show was 9 percent ahead of its season-to-date Monday average of 5.4/17. “Today” finished 44 percent ahead of second-place “Good Morning America” on ABC.

Stink-raising Stossel joins Babs on '20/20'
Barbara Walters, say hello to your controversial new co-host. Starting next week, John Stossel will anchor "20/20" alongside Walters, replacing John Miller, who left last year to work for the Los Angeles Police Department. Stossel, who has been with "20/20" for more than 20 years, has on more than one occasion provoked outrage with his reporting. A staunch libertarian, he has been especially strident in attacking environmentalists. Three years ago, Stossel had to apologize on the air after claiming that tests had shown organically-grown produce to contain as much pesticide as the regular variety. The tests he cited were never conducted. Stossel debuts as co-anchor on May 23, the night the show will air Walters' interview with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Telemundo triples original programming load
Telemundo is ramping up its original programming with help from a certain well-known derriere. The NBC-owned Spanish-language network said during yesterday’s upfront presentation that it has booked 600 hours of original programming, 200 more than last year. Roughly $100 million will be committed to the new novelas and reality shows, many of which will be produced at the network’s new Miami office. Telemundo will get some star power with a multi-year deal with Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican company, which will produce at least one novela and maybe a variety show. Telemundo will air at least 100 hours of Olympic coverage, including baseball, track and field, and soccer, next year. New programs include novelas “Amores del Mercado,” “Medico de Familia,” “La Ley del Silencio” and “Alma Herida” and a “Bachelorette”-type program called “La Cenecienta.”

Radio revenues fall with start of war, but up for Q1
The war in Iraq ended a years-long trend of rising advertising revenues for U.S. radio stations. The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) reported this week that ad revenues dropped 2 percent in March after many advertisers yanked their spots when war broke out. RAB found that local revenues fell 3 percent and national revenues increased 4 percent, not quite enough to balance things out. Still, strong January and February months helped the industry to an overall revenue gain of 4 percent versus last year during the first quarter. National sales rose 8 percent and local sales 2 percent in that time. RAB had expected second-quarter revenues to rebound, but has reassessed that prediction. It most recently said that second-quarter revenues will remain flat or slightly negative. For the entire year, revenues should rise 5 percent. Last year they increased 6 percent.

May 14, 2003© 2003 Media Life

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