FOX - NBC GETS LITTLE LIFT FROM OLYMPICS

NBC's hope to use the Winter Olympics to promote itself out of fourth place in the ratings came a-crashing last week as it faced competition from American Idol on Fox, the Oscars on ABC, and CBS's depth of hit shows. The network finished particularly weakly among younger viewers, the demographic group it once dominated. As expected, ABC's coverage of the Oscars not only topped the Nielsen list for the week, but topped all other entertainment programs broadcast this year. The 38.94 million viewers who tuned in exceeded the 37.88 million who watched the year's previous champ, the post-Super Bowl episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Thanks to the Oscars, ABC won the week with an average 8.0 rating and a 13 share in overall households. (It came in second among adults 18-49). Fox and CBS tied for second place with a 7.9/12, while NBC remained a distant fourth with a 6.2/10.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. Academy Awards, ABC, 23.1/35; 2. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 17.0/25; 3. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 16.9/25; 4. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 16.6/26; 5. American Idol (Thursday), Fox, 15.2/23; 6. Without a Trace, CBS, 13.1/21; 7. CSI: Miami, CBS, 11.8/18; 8. Oscar Countdown 2006 Pt 2, ABC, 10.9/18; 9. Two and a Half Men, CBS, 10.8/16; 10. Lost, ABC, 9.9/15.

08/03/2006