Follow Zap2it:
TV ratings: Olympics trounce 'Idol' top 24 Wednesday
Twitter
Google
Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010The combination of Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White in primetime gave NBC a big night of Olympic ratings Wednesday, beating "American Idol" and FOX by a wide margin.
NBC drew 29.3 million viewers and a 16.7 rating/26 share in households in primetime, more than double the averages for No. 2 FOX (12.8 million, 7.4/11). The rest of the networks were in repeats, with CBS (6.9 million, 4.5/7) leading ABC (3.9 million, 2.6/4) and The CW (975,000, 0.7/1).
The story was pretty much the same in the adults 18-49 demographic, where NBC's 8.9 beat the combined total of the other four networks. FOX scored a 4.5 to take second, followed by CBS, 1.8; ABC, 1.5; and The CW, 0.4.
Wednesday hour by hour:
8 p.m.
NBC: Winter Olympics (26.6 million viewers, 15.2/24 households)
FOX: "Human Target" (7.1 million, 4.4/7)
ABC: "Modern Family" rerun (5.1 million, 3.3/5)/"The Middle" rerun (4.7 million, 3.0/5)
CBS: "Old Christine" rerun (4.9 million, 3.3/5)/"Gary Unmarried" rerun (4.4 million, 2.9/5)
The CW: "Life Unexpected" rerun (1.3 million, 0.9/1)
18-49 leader: Winter Olympics (7.6)
9 p.m.
NBC: Winter Olympics (30.1 million, 17.0/26)
FOX: "American Idol" (18.4 million, 10.4/16)
CBS: "Criminal Minds" rerun (8 million, 5.3/8)
ABC: "Modern Family" rerun (4.4 million, 2.8/4)/"The Middle" rerun (3.2 million, 2.1/3)
The CW: "Gossip Girl" rerun (608,000, 0.4/1)
18-49 leader: Winter Olympics (9.0)
10 p.m.
NBC: Winter Olympics (31.15 million, 17.8/29)
CBS: "CSI: NY" rerun (8 million, 5.3/9)
ABC: "Cougar Town" reruns - two episodes (2.9 million, 2.1/3)
18-49 leader: Winter Olympics (10.1)
Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.
More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable
Photo credit: Getty Images
Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest news and buzz
Related pics
Zap2it Elite Sheet Must Reads from the Web's In-Crowd
Our Partners
Is that American Idol's lowest rating ever? I think it is. The Olympics were awesome last night.
Let's see kitty's spin on this one now. Let's see: there is none. Olympics were great!
I like Human Target, is full of plot holes, and unbelievable situatiations....just like...hmmm...24,
Human Target and 24 should be on the same night,
a 1 and 2 punch of suspend belief TV
and watch the hero kick @ss
If that wasn't the most enjoyable Olympic broadcast I have ever watched then it was certainly way up there. Absolutely fabulous day for the Americans and a very good night for NBC.
I would imagine that a lot of people were recording American Idol on their recorders and the actual amount of people who did eventually view the show was a lot higher. I don't watch American Idol, and for that matter the Olympics either, so it really doesn't matter to me
I dvr idol last night and watched it this morning. I watched the olympics last night instead. I really like Ellen instead of Paula mostly because i think ellen is funny and gives off the fun vibe instead of being so intense all the time.
I have 36 cats. As many cats as there are versions of CSI. Jealous much?
WOW seems like ABC is having trouble figuring out a way to counter program the Olympics and American Idol. They were smart to give up and just air repeats...poor thing!
hey some of you people need to check your spelling!
People actually watch the Olympics? I'm a huge Sports fan, but I can't watch this crap.