Primetime Ratings: 'X Factor' Returns Down 23%

'Voice' tops Fox show's season premiere in shared 8-9 p.m. hour

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/13/2012 11:18:19 AM

Fox's overhauled The X Factor returned for its second season Wednesday night to a 3.4 rating with adults 18-49, down 23% over its first season premiere, according to Nielsen overnight numbers.

The two-hour debut, which featured new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, aired against the third night of NBC's The Voice, which also posted a 3.4 demo rating. In head-to-head competition from 8-9 p.m. though, The Voice topped X Factor's 2.7 rating for the hour and drew 10.7 million total viewers to Factor's 7.5 million.

The Voice was also hurt by The X Factor's presence, however; its 3.4 rating was down 13% from the previous night's episode.

Fox still won the night thanks to softer performances from the rest of NBC's lineup, including the premiere of new comedy Guys With Kids, which turned in a 2.2 rating and 6.3 million viewers at 10 p.m. The Voice lead-in helped part one of the finale of America's Got Talent, which grew 21% from its last episode to a 2.9. NBC was second overall with a 2.7/8 share.

CBS was third with a 1.5/5 and a new Big Brother posted a 2.0, down a tenth from last week. ABC was fourth with a 0.9/3 from its lineup of repeats.

The CW trailed with a 0.3/1, with Oh Sit! even with last week at a 0.4.