TV ratings: 'Big Brother' and 'America's Got Talent' the best of a slow Wednesday

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Wednesday night brought pretty meager ratings across the broadcast networks, as "America's Got Talent," "Big Brother" and "So You Think You Can Dance" were all on the low side.

CBS led the night with 5.4 million viewers and a 3.6 rating/6 share in households, finishing a little bit ahead of NBC (5.2 million, 3.4/6). FOX (5.1 million, 3.1/5) was not far behind in third. ABC drew 3.9 million viewers and a 2.6/4 to take fourth, and The CW trailed with 900,000 viewers and a 0.6/1.

FOX finished on top of the adults 18-49 demographic, albeit with just a 1.8 rating for the night. CBS grabbed second with a 1.4, followed closely by NBC, 1.3, and ABC, 1.2. The CW came in at 0.3.

Wednesday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

CBS: "Big Brother 14" (5.6 million viewers, 3.5/6 households)
FOX: "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.1 million, 3.2/6)
NBC: "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" rerun (4.7 million, 3.0/5)/"Up All Night" rerun (2.85 million, 1.9/3)
ABC: "The Middle" rerun (3.9 million, 2.7/5)/"Suburgatory" rerun (3.2 million, 2.2/4)
The CW: "America's Next Top Model" rerun (920,000, 0.6/1)

18-49 leader: "Big Brother 14" (1.9)

9 p.m.

NBC: "America's Got Talent" results (7.5 million, 4.5/7)
CBS: "Criminal Minds" rerun (5.1 million, 3.5/6)
FOX: "So You Think You Can Dance" (5 million, 3.0/5)
ABC: "Modern Family" reruns - two episodes (4 million, 2.5/4)
The CW: "America's Next Top Model" rerun (881,000, 0.6/1)

18-49 leader: "America's Got Talent" (1.9)

10 p.m.

CBS: "CSI" rerun (5.5 million, 3.8/7)
NBC: "Law & Order: SVU" rerun (4.4 million, 3.1/5)
ABC: "Final Witness" (4.2 million, 2.7/5)

18-49 leader: "Final Witness" (1.2)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.

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