Prime-Time Ratings: Fox Wins; CBS a Comfortable Second

-Down but Still Dominant:
CSI: NY (CBS)

-Promising:
Back to You (Fox)

-Too Much of a Good Thing:
Deal or No Deal (NBC)

-Disappointing:
Wife Swap (ABC), Supernanny (ABC), Boston Legal (ABC)

-Yesterday's Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Farmer Wants a Wife (CW)

----------

-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by American Idol, Fox took Wednesday with typical ease, outdelivering second-place CBS by a considerable 3.67 million viewers and 93 percent among adults 18-49. Third overall was NBC, followed by ABC and the CW.

The first half of a two-hour edition of NBC's Deal or No Deal and Fox sitcoms ‘Til Death and Back to You shared leadership in the 8 p.m. hour as follows:

Wednesday 8 p.m.
Deal or No Deal (NBC)
Viewers: 7.97 million (#1), A18-49: 1.8 rating/6 share (#4)

‘Til Death (Fox) – 8 p.m.
Viewers: 5.53 million (#4), A18-49: 2.0/ 7 (#1t)

Back to You (Fox) – 8:30 p.m.
Viewers: 6.97 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#1)

Worth noting for Back to You was growth out of ‘Til Death of a considerable 1.44 million viewers and 25 percent among adults 18-49. That should be more than enough to warrant Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton a second season.

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was the time period premiere of CBS' The Price is Right (Viewers: #2, 7.28 million; A18-49: #5, 1.7/ 5), ABC's Wife Swap (Viewers: #4, 6.03 million; A18-49: #2, 2.2/ 7), and America's Next Top Model on the CW (Viewers: #5, 4.16 million; A18-49: #5, #3, 2.0/ 6).

Fox's American Idol rose to a very dominant 22.12 million viewers and an 8.1 rating/21 share among adults 18-49 from 9-10 p.m. But compared to one year earlier (Viewers: 28.75 million; A18-49: 11.0/28) that was a loss of 6.63 million viewers and 26 percent among adults 18-49. Yes, folks, that's significant.

Second behind American Idol at 9 p.m. was CBS' Criminal Minds at a comfortable 12.88 million viewers and a 3.2/ 8 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that built from the second half of lead-in The Price is Right (Viewers: 7.67 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5) by a hefty 5.21 million viewers and 78 percent among adults 18-49.

Also airing at 9 p.m. was the second half of NBC's expanded Deal or No Deal (Viewers: #3, 7.78 million; A18-49: #3t, 2.2/ 5), ABC's Supernanny (Viewers: #4, 5.45 million; A18-49: #3t, 2.2/ 5), and the premiere of the CW's Farmer Wants a Wife (Viewers: #5, 2.37 million; A18-49: #5, 1.0/ 3). Comparably, retention for Farmer Wants a Wife out of the second-half of Top Model (Viewers: 4.59 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 7at 8:30 p.m.) was just 52 percent in total viewers and 43 percent in the demo. Yes…it's a clinker! What, you thought it wouldn't be?

Overall, NBC's Deal or No Deal averaged 7.88 million viewers and a 2.0/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m.

CBS moved into the 10 p.m. winner's circle, with CSI: NY at 11.40 million viewers and a 3.1/ 8 among adults 18-49. But what could be concerning is a year-to-year loss of 1.60 million viewers (11.40 vs. 13.00) and 18 percent among adults 18-49 (3.1/ 8 vs. 3.8/10). Second in the hour was NBC's veteran Law & Order (Viewers: 9.62 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 8 -- just one-tenth of a rating point behind CSI: NY), followed by the time period-premiere of ABC's Boston Legal (Viewers: 7.33 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 5). Comparably, Boston Legal built in total viewers but declined by 14 percent among adults 18-49 out of the second half-hour of lead-in Supernanny (Viewers: 5.74 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 5 at 9:30 p.m.).

The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 14.19 million, CBS: 10.52, NBC: 8.46, ABC: 6.27, CW: 3.26

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 5.2 rating/14 share, CBS: 2.7/ 7, NBC: 2.3/ 6, ABC: 2.1/ 6, CW: 1.5/ 4

--------------

Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

-- Marc Berman

Copyright © 2008 E! Online, Inc. All rights reserved.