Ratings News - 3rd February 2012 *Full Tables Added*

METERED MARKET THURSDAY RATINGS
CBS Wins; Fox Poised for Victory Among Adults 18-49

Thursday 2/02/12
Metered Market Results

Household
Rating/Share
CBS 8.9/14
Fox 8.0/12
ABC 5.1/ 8
NBC 2.8/ 4
CW 2.0/ 3

-Percent Change from Year-Ago Evening – Thursday 2/03/11
CBS: + 3, CW: no change, NBC: -12, ABC: -16, Fox: -22

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-Winners:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS), American Idol (Fox), Person of Interest (CBS), The Mentalist (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
The Vampire Diaries (CW)

-Respectable:
Rob! (CBS)

Losing Steam:
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC)

-Losers (excluding repeats):
Wipeout (ABC), 30 Rock (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC), The Finder (Fox), Up All Night (NBC), The Firm (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS opened this first Thursday in February on a winning overnight note, with a 0.8 rating point advantage over second-place Fox. But the home of American Idol is the network to beat among adults 18-49. In the No. 3 spot was ABC, followed by distant NBC and, as always, The CW.

American Idol on Fox inched past the CBS’ The Big Bang Theory in the 8 p.m. half-hour, with a 10.6 rating/16 share (versus a 10.5/16 for Big Bang). Overall, American Idol averaged an 11.4/18 from 8-9 p.m., which dipped by 17 percent from the year-ago evening (13.8/21 on 2/04/11). After more promising results last week, week four of drama The Finder dropped to a 4.7/ 7 (#3) at 9 p.m., which declined by 16 percent week-to-week (5.6/ 9 to 4.7/ 7). Comparably, retention for The Finder out of the 8:30 p.m. portion of American Idol (12.1/19) was an unacceptable 39 percent.

In other week four news, sitcom Rob! on CBS has leveled off at a second-place 7.0/11 at 8:30 p.m. Comparably, retention out of The Big Bang Theory (10.5/16 at 8 p.m.) was 67 percent, with growth from year-ago occupant $#*! My Dad Says (6.5/10 on 2/04/11) of eight percent. Next on the Eye net was freshman drama Person of Interest (#1: 9.3/14 at 9 p.m.), which inches closer to a second season renewal every week, followed by The Mentalist at a dominant 8.8/15 at 10 p.m. Comparably, Person of Interest bested year-ago occupant CSI (8.7/13 on 2/04/11) by seven percent.

Over at ABC, the network slipped from one year earlier by 16 percent overall with its combination of Wipeout (#3: 3.4/ 5), Grey’s Anatomy (#2: 7.0/11) and Private Practice (#2: 4.9/ 8), which was the same rotation of shows on Feb. 3, 2011. NBC’s sole Thursday standout, The Office, has also sprung a leak with a 3.8/ 6 at 9 p.m. (#4) down by 22 percent from the 4.9/ 7 on the year ago evening. That led into relocated Up All Night, which dipped to a fourth-place 2.6/ 4 at 9:30 p.m. (24 percent below Parks and Recreation one year earlier), followed by recent entry The Firm at a mere 2.3/ 4 (#3) at 10 p.m. Recent failed occupant Prime Suspect was notably stronger.

Earlier in the evening on NBC was the lackluster combination of 30 Rock (#4: 2.7/ 4), which like recent occupant Community is not strong enough to anchor Thursday, and Parks and Recreation (#4: 2.9/ 4) from 8-9 p.m.

The CW capped off the evening with The Vampire Diaries (#5: 2.5/ 4), which increased by nine percent from one year earlier (2.3/ 4 on 2/4/11), and The Secret Circle, which dropped to a 1.6/ 2 at 9 p.m. Comparably, The Secret Circle was equal to year-ago occupant Nikita, which is now struggling as the Friday anchor.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Source: Marc Berman@TVMediaInsights