Wednesday Ratings: Idol Ratings Lowest Since 2002

By On 02/14/2013 · 84 Comments · In American Idol, Nashville, Ratings, Survivor

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American Idol ratings were  down 3 tenths points from last week’s numbers and  hit its lowest key demo numbers since July 10, 2002.  I expect the Survivor Caramoan premiere had something to do with that. However the numbers for Survivor were down substantially from last spring’s premiere.  The good news? Nashville was up a tenth from last week.

Via TVByTheNumbers

FOX was the number one network in adults 18-49 and with total viewers.

On FOX, American Idol scored a 4.3, down three tenths from last week’s 4.6 adults 18-49 rating and the series’ lowest adults 18-49 rating since July 10,2002.

On CBS, the premiere of Survivor: Caramoan: Fans vs Favorites earned a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating, down substantially from last spring’s 3.1 adults 18-49 rating for the One World iteration. This is a new low for a Survivor premiere.

Nashville went up a tenth to a 1.8 after last week’s series low 1.7 among adults 18-49.

8:00PM

FOX American Idol 4.3 12 13.37
CBS Survivor: Caramoan: Fans vs Favorites -P (8-9:30) 2.4 7 8.96
ABC The Middle 1.9 6 7.63
NBC Whitney 1.2 4 3.58
CW Arrow 1.1 3 3.26

8:30PM

ABC The Neighbors 1.7 5 5.91
NBC Guys With Kids 1.0 3 2.85

9:00 PM

ABC Modern Family 3.8 10 10.03
NBC Law & Order: SVU 1.6 4 6.30
CW Supernatural 1.0 3 2.47

9:30PM

ABC Suburgatory 2.2 6 6.07
CBS The Big Bang Theory -R 1.6 4 5.83

10:00PM

CBS CSI 2.1 6 9.13
NBC Chicago Fire 1.9 5 6.65
ABC Nashville 1.8 5 5.71

Half hour breakdown from Marc Berman

8:00 p.m.

ABC – The Middle
Viewers: 7.63 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#3)

CBS – Survivor: Caramoan (season premiere)
Viewers: 9.12 million (#1), A18-49: 2.4/ 8 (#2)

NBC – Whitney
Viewers: 3.58 million (#4), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (#4)

Fox – American Idol
Viewers: 11.38 million (#1), A18-49: 3.4/11 (#1)

CW – Arrow
Viewers: 3.18 million (#5), A18-49: 1.1/ 3 (#5)

———-

8:30 p.m.

ABC – The Neighbors
Viewers: 5.91 million (#3), A18-49: 1.7/ 5 (#3)

CBS – Survivor: Caramoan (season premiere)
Viewers: 8.76 million (#1), A18-49: 2.4/ 7 (#2)

NBC – Guys With Kids
Viewers: 2.85 million (#5), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#5)

Fox – American Idol
Viewers: 12.95 million (#1), A18-49: 4.1/12 (#1)

CW – Arrow
Viewers: 3.34 million (#5), A18-49: 1.1/ 3 (#4)

———-

9:00 p.m.

ABC – Modern Family
Viewers: 10.03 million (#2), A18-49: 3.8/10 (#1)

CBS – Survivor: Caramoan (season premiere)
Viewers: 9.00 million (#3), A18-49: 2.4/ 7 (#3)

NBC – Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 5.75 million (#4), A18-49: 1.4/ 4 (#4)

Fox – American Idol
Viewers: 14.22 million (#1), A18-49: 4.6/13 (#1)

CW – Supernatural
Viewers: 2.57 million (#5), A18-49: 1.1/ 5 (#5)

———-

9:30 p.m.

ABC – Suburgatory
Viewers: 6.07 million (#3), A18-49: 2.2/ 6 (#2)

CBS – The Big Bang Theory (R)
Viewers: 5.83 million (#4), A18-49: 1.6/ 4 (#4)

NBC – Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.84 million (#2), A18-49: 1.7/ 4 (#3)

Fox – American Idol
Viewers: 14.92 million (#1), A18-49: 4.8/13 (#1)

CW – Supernatural
Viewers: 2.37 million (#5), A18-49: 1.0/ 5 (#5)

———-

10:00 p.m.

ABC – Nashville
Viewers: 5.89 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 5 (#2)

CBS – CSI
Viewers: 9.13 million (#1), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#1)

NBC – Chicago Fire
Viewers: 6.52 million (#2), A18-49: 1.8/ 5 (#3)

———-

10:30 p.m.

ABC – Nashville
Viewers: 5.53 million (#3), A18-49: 1.7/ 5 (#3)

CBS – CSI
Viewers: 9.12 million (#1), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#1)

NBC – Chicago Fire
Viewers: 6.78 million (#2), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

 
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  • http://profile.yahoo.com/TP6FDKZWZZOESHA5DCZVTU24T4 JasonG

    After thinking about this for awhile, I’m not so concerned with the ratings with anymore. I’m more concerned on finding a viable superstar after this season ends. The last couple years, rating for all networks have been down due to Hulu, Netflix, online streaming, iTunes, etc. If Idol started in in the 90s and the 12th season aired in let’s say 2007, the rating would probably have been high but today, it’s a different landscape. Gone are the days of getting a show over 20 million+ viewers on a daily basis beside NCIS and TBBT. Eventually NCIS and TBBT’s rating will decrease. Nothing lasts forever. Idol is still top show for FOX and Season 13 and 14′s rating will be lower than this year. it’s a tired genre. Season 3 for the XF US will probably be the last one and The Voice is going to tire itself out with the two cycles a year format and i think rating will start declining after season 5. Anyway, the point is, I’m not worried about the rating and if the show ends, it ends. I only care for the search of the next superstar which I hope can continue the streak after Scotty and Phillip invigorating the winner’s success aspect after the show. Sorry if this was long. This was just on my mind and I wanted to share this with you guys lol. 

  • http://twitter.com/ladymctech ladymctech

    I agree 100% about the Voice. It’s a game show for four celebrities and the contestants are just the means to the end.

  • http://twitter.com/shoriagirl Shoriagirl

    American Idol is a game show for producers where contestants, judges and public are just the means to the end.

  • mmb

    There is nothing wrong with the show, the judges, or the contestants.  There is no change that can be made that will change the ratings decline.  You could stuff the top 20 with 10 kelly clarksons and 10 carrie underwoods and replace the judging panel with Timberlake, Beyonce, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga and the ratings wouldn’t increase.  Its an old show, its no longer the only singing competition on tv, and there is a ton of competition from other shows, basic cable, premium cable, netflix, the internet, etc. etc. etc.  The entire viewing landscape has changed over the last 12 years.  Everything is relative.  Yet despite its age, it is still a top rated show.  The ratings are only “bad” when compared to prior years; not when compared to other shows currently on network television.   But the ratings will continue to fall.  No matter what they do.  Thats just the way it is.

  • Incipit

    Heh.  That would be a tough sell, Shoriagirl, hard to buy AI as a game show for the producers when, outside of ‘maybe’ Nigel, the public likely doesn’t even know who the producers are – couldn’t name them if they tried.

    But you and ladymctech are both correct in a way – you just didn’t take your story far enough. ALL the reality shows about a singing contest have producers, judges, contestants, an audience, etc – and commercials -  which are all a means to an end – the end is to make money for the networks and the owners of the show.

    That’s the basic thing they all have in common beyond the cosmetic differences. If one entertains you more than another – it’s all cool…pick your own poison. *snerk* For the TV shows, the money still remains the bottom line.

    IMO. Of Course.

  • standtotheright

    But the ratings will continue to fall. No matter what they do. Thats just the way it is.

    I entirely agree with this. The competition factor means that ratings will slide regardless. I do suspect that some choices made by the producers can accelerate or decelerate that decline, which I think is the argument some are making. Unfortunately, there are too many partisans on this board who can’t even agree with what the solutions should be, beyond firing Ken Warwick. Which makes it difficult to imagine that the current staff would implement many of them, especially Ken Warwick. And even on the options that do share a large degree of consensus, implementing them may be too little, too late. Ah well.

  • Whatiswrongwithus

    Whoaa.. Even The Walking Dead has claimed more viewers than this. And that’s a cable series. It’s the only juggernaut ratings bringing in a 6.something in the demo on TV so far. So i guess you could say about AI it’s out with the old and in with the new.

  • elliegrll

    You can only name two regularly scheduled shows that have had ratings of 6.0 or better this year, that’s out of more than 80 shows that are on the air.  

    In the meantime, American Idol’s ratings last week put it at #3 and #5 in the top 25 ranking for last week.  Put into perspective, I don’t know if “bad” is the right word to use to describe this season’s ratings.  http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/12/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-grammy-awards-tops-week-20-viewing-among-adults-18-49-with-total-viewers/169167/

  • elliegrll

    So the problem for the ratings drop is that we don’t see a lot of the usual male Idol contestants aka WGWGs this year?

    No.  I don’t normally recommend using Wikipedia as a research tool, but they have the ratings for every episode, and the evidence clearly shows that the normal pattern for AI is to have its highest ratings during the audition round, and then to rise and fall during the rest of the rounds.  Traditionally the first episode of each round is the highest, but none of the episodes, except at times the finale, tend to reach the levels of the auditions.  It’s not unusual for the show to drop 3 to 4 whole ratings points from the first episode.

    So, the point is that whether Nicki is there or not, and even if they have more WGWG, the ratings would still fall from episode 1 to episode 7.

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