Primetime Ratings: Fox: Who Needs Idol?
Network Wins First American Idol -Free Tuesday Night
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/28/2008 10:44:00 AM
American Idol may be history until next year, but Fox still managed to win Tuesday night in the 18-49 demo with reality programming, averaging a 3.7 rating/10 share, according to Nielsen Media Research overnight numbers.
Hell's Kitchen, which has been benefiting from its powerhouse Idol lead-in, stood on its own Tuesday. It was the top-rated show of the night, although admittedly up against a sea of repeats, with a 4.4 rating/11 share from 9 p.m.-10 p.m. Game show Moment of Truth also led its 8 p.m.-9 p.m. time period.
NBC was second on the night with a 2.1, led by a repeat of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2.5/7).
CBS averaged a 1.8/5 for repeats of dramas NCIS and The Unit plus a new 48 Hours special on polygamy, which was the network's top show at a 2.3/6.
ABC was unable to crack a 2 rating on the night, averaging a 1.5/4 and getting little bump out of its back-to-back originals of According to Jim from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. (1.8/5), although that was its highest-rated show and in an unusual three-way tie for second place in the hour behind Moment of Truth (3/9) and tied with NCIS and NBC's Outrageous Moments (the original paired with a repeat).
The CW averaged a 0.6 for repeats of Beauty & the Geek and Reaper.
