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[05/24/12 - 08:35 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: "Idol" Wraps on Top, But Down Big from Last Year
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 23, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

The two-hour season finale of "American Idol" (20.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) not surprisingly put FOX (20.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) on top for the final night of the 2011-12 season. Said broadcast however was down 31.46% from last year's finale among adults 18-49.

ABC (7.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed a distant second place with the season finale of "The Middle" (6.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5), a repeat of "Modern Family" (6.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5) and the respective finales of "Modern Family" (9.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (5.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Revenge" (7.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4).

Next up was CBS (5.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (5.59 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), "Two and a Half Men" (4.41 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13), "Criminal Minds" (6.38 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8) and a second "Criminal Minds" (6.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up the season finale of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), repeats of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.33 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.77 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14) plus the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.86 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) and a new "America's Next Top Model" (0.92 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) on The CW (0.89 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. Women 18-34 numbers will be available later today.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+45.24% - American Idol (vs. 5/17/12)
+25.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
+20.00% - Revenge
+11.76% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+7.14% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
+5.26% - The Middle
+2.56% - Modern Family
-20.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
+35.71% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Los Angeles)
+29.73% - Revenge (vs. Cougar Town/Happy Endings (10:30))
+25.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
-2.44% - Modern Family
-9.09% - The Middle
-31.46% - American Idol

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/25/11):

FOX (28.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.9, #1) closed the 2010-11 season on top with the season finale of "American Idol" (28.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.9, #1). Compared with last year's finale, "Idol" was up 9% in the demo and up +17% in total viewers (versus final numbers).

ABC (6.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then won the battle for the leftovers with the season finale of "The Middle" (7.43 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), a repeat of "Modern Family" (6.05 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) and the respective season enders to "Modern Family" (10.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2), "Cougar Town" (5.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4) and "Happy Endings" (4.06 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7).

Next up was CBS (6.66 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (5.81 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), another "The Big Bang Theory" (6.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "Criminal Minds" (6.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) alongside the de facto series finale of "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (7.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "Minute to Win It" (3.44 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13), another "Minute to Win It" (3.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) and a special "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (5.58 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.08 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and another "America's Next Top Model" (1.02 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (1.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): American Idol (43.50% vs. 5/19/11), Happy Endings (30.80%), Modern Family (2.50%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (0.00%), Cougar Town (0.00%), Law & Order: Los Angeles (0.00% vs. 5/23/11), Minute to Win It (0.00%), The Middle (-8.30%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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