Primetime Ratings: Olympics Up Slightly From Tuesday Night, but Down Versus Vancouver

The Winter Olympics drew 20.1 million total viewers and a 5.0 rating among adults 18-49 Wednesday night according to Nielsen overnight numbers—down 5% in total viewers and 9% in the demo compared to the comparable night from the 2010 Vancouver games. Those numbers are also up 2% in total viewers and 4% in the demo from Tuesday night. NBC earned a 15 share.

ABC finished fourth among the networks at 0.8/2, mostly with reruns. The season finale of Super Fun Night, the network’s only original, hit a series low 0.9, down 31% from last week.

American Idol dropped 24% from last Wednesday to 2.6. Fox drew an 8 share to finish second among the networks.

CBS finished third with a 1.8/5. Criminal Minds was down 14% from its last original broadcast two weeks ago at 2.4. CSI was even with two weeks ago at 2.0.

The CW aired reruns to finish with a 0.3/1.