ABC - OSCAR RATINGS ARE HUGE, BUT CAN'T MATCH IDOL'S

ABC's telecast of the Academy Awards presentations, which usually is second only to the Super Bowl in attracting viewers, averaged a 20.1 rating and a 30 share during the primetime hours Sunday night -- or 33.7 million viewers, about what it recorded a year ago, according to preliminary overnight Nielsen figures. However, the return of Fox's American Idol in January drew more viewers this year -- 37 million. Earlier in the evening, ABC also scored strongly with the Barbara Walters Oscar night interview special, which drew a 12.0/19, representing 19.7 million viewers. (The show aired following the Oscar telecast on the West Coast.)

26/02/2007