Ratings News - 16th February 2012 * Full Tables Added*

We'll have the full tables and updated Cancellation Chart online shortly. Check the Twitter feed for updates.

We'll have the actual viewing numbers very shortly.



METERED MARKET WEDNESDAY RATINGS
Fox Wins; Survivor Season-Opener On Par From One Year Earlier

Wednesday 2/15/12
Metered Market Results

Household
Rating/Share
Fox 11.9/19
CBS 7.1/11
ABC 5.7/ 9
NBC 3.1/ 5
CW 0.8/ 1

-Percent Change from Year-Ago Evening – Wednesday 2/16/11
ABC: +16, CW: +14, CBS: - 8, NBC: - 9, Fox: -18

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-Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Survivor: One World (CBS), The Middle (ABC), Modern Family (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI (CBS), Revenge (ABC)

-Losers (excluding repeats):
Whitney (NBC), Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC), One Tree Hill (CW), Rock Center With Brian Williams (NBC), Happy Endings (ABC), Remodeled (CW)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Two-hours of American Idol was more than enough for Fox to dominate Wednesday, with a hefty 4.8 metered market rating point advantage over second-place CBS. American Idol averaged an 11.9 rating/19 share from 8-10 p.m. But compared to the year-ago telecast (14.5/22 on 2/17/11, also two hours), Idol dropped by 18 percent. Yes, the singing competition has clearly peaked. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

American Idol (Fox)
8:00 p.m.: 11.0/17 (#1)
8:30 p.m.: 12.1/19 (#1)
9:00 p.m.: 12.0/18 (#1)
9:30 p.m.: 12.5/19 (#1)

Third overall for the evening was ABC, followed by depressed NBC and distant The CW, which still managed to build year-to-year by 14 percent despite its low-rated combination of One Tree Hill (#5: 1.2/ 2) and embarrassing Remodeled (series-low 0.4/ 1). Keep in mind that the next cycle of America’s Next Top Model replaces Remodeled on Feb. 29.

In season-premiere news, the 24th edition of Survivor: One World on CBS opened with a consistent (and distant second-place) 6.3/10 in the overnights at 8 p.m. Comparatively, this was right on par with the season opening episode of Survivor: Redemption Island one year earlier (6.4/10 on 2/17/11), and that translated into 11.15 million viewers and a 3.2 rating/ 9 share among adults 18-49 based on the Live Plus Same Day ratings. As for the two teams (men and women) living on one island, it is certainly a different twist. As always, there is a potpourri of heroes and villains ready to keep us entertained all season.

Survivor: One World led into always-reliable Criminal Minds (#2: 7.9/12 from 9-10 p.m.), which was down just six percent year-to-year, followed by veteran CSI at a dominant 7.1/12 at 10 p.m. CSI, which featured the arrival of new cast member Elisabeth Shue, dipped by 13 percent from short-lived year-ago occupant Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (8.2/14 on 2/17/11).

The standout on ABC, of course, was sitcom Modern Family with a solid 8.0/12 (#2) at 9 p.m. Comparably, that built from freshman lead-out Suburgatory (#3: 4.8/ 7 at 8:30 p.m.) by 67 percent, and it increased from the year-ago evening (7.6/11 on 2/17/11) by five percent. If Modern Family was being rated for creatively, however, last night was clearly not one of the better episodes.

Leading out of Modern Family was sophomore Happy Endings, which was not so “happy” at a third-place 4.3/ 7. Comparably, that dipped from failed year-ago occupant Mr. Sunshine (5.0/ 8 on 2/17/11) by 14 percent and the retention out of Modern Family was only 54 percent. As a reminder, upcoming sitcom Don’t Trust the B____ in Apartment 23 debuts in the Wednesday 9:30 p.m. time on ABC on April 11.

Earlier in the evening on ABC was consistent The Middle (#3: 5.6/ 9 at 8 p.m.), which does not get the attention it deserves. And capping it off was solid freshman drama Revenge at a second-place 5.8/10 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that built from short-lived year-ago occupant Off the Map (3.4/ 6 on 2/17/11) by 71 percent in the overnights, with growth out of Happy Endings of 35 percent. And this should be more than enough to win the time period among adults 18-49. Welcome to the listing of “winners,” Revenge.

Over at NBC, the midweek news was particularly bleak from 8-10 p.m. with its line-up of Whitney (#4: 2.9/ 5), Are You There, Chelsea? (#4: 2.5/ 4) and Rock Center With Brian Williams (#4: series low 2.5/ 4). Although long-running Law & Order: SVU did perk up to a 4.2/ 8 at 10 p.m., it still finished third in the time period with erosion year-to-year of 19 percent (5.2/ 9 to 4.2/ 8). Had NBC been in better shape, it might be time for SVU to call it quits.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Source: Marc Berman@TVMediaInsights