Grounded, Island give FOX ratings help
-- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/22/2001
With a little help from Temptation Island and new comedy Grounded for Life, Fox pulled off a major upset in the national ratings the week ended Jan. 14. For the first time in more than a year, it won the weekly network ratings race in the key adults 18-49 demo, averaging a 5.2 rating/13 share, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox also won the week in adults 18-34, averaging a network-best 5.6/15. And it was Fox's most-watched week of prime time fare since last February: The network finished with an hourly average of 10.6 million viewers. Temptation Island was Fox's highest-rated Wednesday-night series premiere ever, averaging 16.1 million viewers and an 8.3/19 in adults 18-49. Grounded for Life averaged a 6.6/16 in adults 18-49 and 12.7 million viewers-outperforming its lead-in, That '70s Show . ABC was tops in total viewers for the fourth consecutive week, averaging 13.7 million viewers and third in adults 18-49 (5.0/13). NBC placed second for the week in adults 18-49 (5.1/13) and third in total viewers (12.3 million). CBS finished second in total viewers (12.5 million) and fourth in adults 18-49 (3.9/10). And in the battle of the weblets, UPN topped The WB in total viewers (3.9 million vs. 3.8 million), and The WB trumped UPN in adults 18-49 (1.7 vs. 1.6).
