American Idol Ahead in Both Viewers And 18-49 Season To Date
I figured that it would be better to include both season to date viewer information along with our primetime season to date adults 18-49 rankings. Our new chart shows the top 20 shows ranked on a season to date basis for adults 18-49 as well as those shows season to date average viewership numbers and rank.
Combining the two types of data highlights American Idol’s dominance even more clearly. It holds the number 1 and 2 positions for both adults 18-49 and total viewers. Dancing with the Stars, holding the # 3-5 positions for total viewers can do no better than #10, #11 and #13 for adults 18-49, not nearly as attractive for advertisers. Similarly, CSI the #10 show for average viewership is only #16 for adults 18-49.
Some shows demonstrate 18-49 demographic power without even being in the top 20 season to date shows for average viewers like Hell’s Kitchen, Heroes and Lost. House, Moment of Truth and Grey’s Anatomy also show 18-49 strength in excess of their average viewer rankings, but are strong in both.
Not that we doubt the advertising draw of football, but it’s worth noting that 3 of the top 20 shows are football related, NBC Sunday Night Football, The OT, and Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick. Remember, this list includes only primetime shows. Those Sunday afternoon football games are not captured in the prime time aggregate data, although we do occasionally see them in the weekly data if they run into primetime.
Fox does rely heavily on Idol, but also has House, Moment of Truth and Hell’s Kitchen the #4, 6, and 8 shows for adults 18-49.
Season To Date Top Primetime Shows though April 6
|
Adults 18-49 STD Rank |
Programs |
Network |
STD Adults 18-49 Live+SD (000) |
STD Viewers Live+SD (000) |
Viewers STD Rank |
% of viewers between 18-49 |
|
1 |
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY | FOX | 14,802 | 28,885 |
1 |
51.2% |
|
2 |
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 13,946 | 27,313 |
2 |
51.1% |
|
3 |
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 8,918 | 17,865 |
6 |
49.9% |
|
4 |
HOUSE | FOX | 8,405 | 16,208 |
8 |
51.9% |
|
5 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | 8,291 | 15,862 |
9 |
52.3% |
|
6 |
MOMENT OF TRUTH | FOX | 7,799 | 14,177 |
12 |
55.0% |
|
7 |
GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 7,310 | 14,019 |
13 |
52.1% |
|
8 |
HELL’S KITCHEN | FOX | 7,158 | 11,849 |
|
60.4% |
|
9 |
HEROES | NBC | 6,958 | 11,575 |
|
60.1% |
|
10 |
DANCING W/THE STARS-MON | ABC | 6,922 | 21,150 |
3 |
32.7% |
|
11 |
DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 6,869 | 20,721 |
4 |
33.1% |
|
12 |
LOST | ABC | 6,376 | 11,884 |
|
53.7% |
|
13 |
DANCING W/STARS RESULT-TU | ABC | 6,200 | 19,163 |
5 |
32.4% |
|
14 |
SURVIVOR: CHINA | CBS | 6,083 | 14,280 |
11 |
42.6% |
|
15 |
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. | ABC | 5,983 | 13,033 |
17 |
45.9% |
|
16 |
CSI | CBS | 5,850 | 15,815 |
10 |
37.0% |
|
17 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 5,782 | 12,899 |
19 |
44.8% |
|
18 |
THE OT | FOX | 5,727 | 10,788 |
|
53.1% |
|
19 |
SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA | CBS | 5,636 | 13,042 |
16 |
43.2% |
|
20 |
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 5,551 | 10,991 |
|
50.5% |
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
