Primetime Ratings: 'Inside The Obama White House' Delivers For NBC

'I'm a Celebrity' drops, but ties for win in timeslot

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/3/2009 12:49:27 PM

The first hour of the NBC News special Inside the Obama White House earned a first place finish at 9 p.m. and led the network to a Tuesday primetime win. Traditionally, primetime news programs have struggled to draw viewers in the 18-49 demo. Inside the Obama White House, which continues tonight, bucked the trend. The network also earned the highest-rated and most-watched program of the night with the season finale of Law & Order: SVU, which immediately followed the White House special.

NBC's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here started off the night tied with a rerun of NCIS on CBS for first with a 2.1/7, though CBS more than doubled NBC in viewers with 11.1 million.  A rerun of House on Fox delivered a 1.4/5. According To Jim on ABC was fourth at 1.2/4. The CW finished fifth at 0.5/2 with a rerun of Hitched or Ditched.

Inside the Obama White House earned a 2.6/7 and 9.1 million viewers at 9. CBS was next at 2.3/7 with a rerun of the Mentalist, which earned the highest viewer total for the hour with 10.8 million. Fox was again third at 1.6/5 with Mental. The ABC News special Earth 2100 garnered a 1.2/3. The CW was last at 0.7/2 for a new episode of Hitched or Ditched.

Law & Order on NBC delivered a 3.4/9 with 11.3 million viewers. CBS' 48 Hours Mystery earned a 2.0/5. The second hour of Earth 2100 on ABC was third at 1.2/3.

NBC won the night with a 2.7/8, followed by CBS at 2.1/6. CBS was first in viewers with 9.9 million. Fox was third at 1.5/5. ABC came in at 1.2/4. The CW finished fifth with a 0.6/2.