Broadcast TV Ratings for Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Fox easily won another Wednesday night thanks to a solid performance by The Moment of Truth, and the always reliable American Idol.

Elsewhere on the evening, NBC took an unexpected second place, thanks to strong outings from its lead-off series Deal or No Deal and episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order.

The CW’s once reliable America’s Next Top Model continues to draw below-average crowds, something the struggling network simply can’t afford to happen.

FOX finished in first place for the evening with a 11.2/18 household rating/share, 18.50 million viewers and a 7.1/19 rating/share among adults 18-49.

• Last Week:
  • 12.5/19 HH rating/share [#1]
  • 21.51M viewers [#1]
  • 8.2/21 A18-49 rating/share [#1]

• 8:00 p.m.: The Moment of Truth (6.6/11 HH rating/share, 10.36M viewers, 4.2/12 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers (9:00-10:00):
    • Households – 8.8/14 to 6.6/11
    • Viewers – 14.72M to 10.36M
    • Adults 18-49 – 6.1/15 to 4.2/11
• 9:00 p.m.: American Idol (15.7/24 HH rating/share, 26.63M viewers, 10.1/26 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers (8:00-9:00):
    • Households – 16.0/25 to 15.7/24
    • Viewers – 28.32M to 26.63M
    • Adults 18-49 – 10.4/27 to 10.1/26

NBC followed in second place for the evening with a 6.6/11 household rating/share, 9.91 million viewers and a 2.6/7 rating/share among adults 18-49.

• Last Week:
  • 5.7/9 HH rating/share [#2]
  • 8.54M viewers [#2]
  • 2.2/6 A18-49 rating/share [#2]

• 8:00 p.m: Deal or No Deal (6.7/11 HH rating/share, 10.17M viewers, 2.5/8 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers (9:00-10:00):
    • Households – 5.9/9 to 6.7/11
    • Viewers – 8.95M to 10.17M
    • Adults 18-49 – 2.1/5 to 2.5/8
• 9:00 p.m: A repeat (remember, the season originally aired on USA Network) of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (5.4/8 HH rating/share, 7.87M viewers, 2.0/5 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers (8:00-9:00):
    • Households – 4.5/7 to 5.4/8
    • Viewers – 6.74M to 7.87M
    • Adults 18-49 – 1.6/4 to 2.0/5
• 10:00 p.m: Law & Order (7.9/13 HH rating/share, 11.68M viewers, 3.3/9 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 6.5/11 to 7.9/13
    • Viewers – 9.63M to 11.68M
    • Adults 18-49 – 2.9/8 to 3.3/9

CBS finished in third place for the evening with a 4.4/7 household rating/share and 6.39 million viewers, but was fourth among adults 18-49 with a 1.8/5 rating/share.

• Last Week:
  • 5.2/8 HH rating/share [#3]
  • 7.83M viewers [#3]
  • 2.1/6 A18-49 rating/share [#t3]

• 8:00 p.m.: Big Brother (3.8/7 HH rating/share, 5.44M viewers, 1.9/5 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 3.8/6 to 3.8/7
    • Viewers – 5.58M to 5.44M
    • Adults 18-49 – 2.0/5 to 1.9/5
• 9:00 p.m.: A repeat of Criminal Minds (5.1/8 HH rating/share, 7.37M viewers, 1.8/5 A18-49 rating/share).
• 10:00 p.m.: And a repeat of CSI: NY (4.4/7 HH rating/share, 6.37M viewers, 1.9/5 A18-49 rating/share).

ABC followed in fourth place for the evening with a 4.1/7 household rating/share and 5.95 million viewers, but managed a third place finish among adults 18-49 with a 2.1/6 rating/share.

• Last Week:
  • 4.1/7 HH rating/share [#4]
  • 6.02M viewers [#4]
  • 2.1/5 A18-49 rating/share [#t3]

• 8:00 p.m.: Wife Swap (4.0/7 HH rating/share, 6.34M viewers, 2.4/7 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 3.5/5 to 4.0/7
    • Viewers – 5.16M to 6.34M
    • Adults 18-49 – 1.9/5 to 2.4/7
• 9:00 p.m.: Supernanny (4.1/6 HH rating/share, 5.88M viewers, 2.3/6 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 4.7/7 to 4.1/6
    • Viewers – 7.08M to 5.88M
    • Adults 18-49 – 2.8/7 to 2.3/6
• 10:00 p.m.: Men In Trees (4.1/7 HH rating/share, 5.62M viewers, 1.7/5 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 4.0/7 to 4.1/7
    • Viewers – 5.77M to 5.62M
    • Adults 18-49 – 1.6/4 to 1.7/5

The CW finished in fifth place for the evening with a 1.9/3 household rating/share, 2.60 million viewers and a 1.3/4 rating/share among adults 18-49.

• Last Week:
  • 1.9/3 HH rating/share [#5]
  • 2.82M viewers [#5]
  • 1.4/4 A18-49 rating/share [#5]

• 8:00 p.m.: America’s Next Top Model (2.5/4 HH rating/share, 3.57M viewers, 1.8/5 A18-49 rating/share).
  • Week-to-week numbers:
    • Households – 2.3/4 to 2.5/4
    • Viewers – 3.52M to 3.57M
    • Adults 18-49 – 1.8/5 to 1.8/5
• 9:00 p.m.: A repeat of The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (1.2/2 HH rating/share, 1.63M viewers, 0.8/2 A18-49 rating/share).

GO TO WEEKLY RATINGS PAGE

Note: Network average numbers from the week prior are based on fast national data. Comparison’s from the week prior (or episode-to-episode, etc.) on specific shows are based on final national data. Ratings for the current day are based on fast nationals. (Expect all three scenarios to be the case at all times, unless otherwise noted). The final rating for first-run episodes that aired this evening will be reported the following week. So for example, the final rating for tonights episode of “American Idol” will be reported in next weeks report for Wednesday, March 19, 2008.

Also keep in mind that because these are fast national ratings, numbers may increase or decrease when the final nationals are released.