AMERICAN IDOL - SWEEPS SWEPT BY LOW RATINGS

It certainly didn't look like a sweeps week last week as many ordinarily top-rated television shows recorded some of their lowest ratings ever. Even the No. 1 show, American Idol, saw a worrisome drop in audience figures. The Associated Press observed that CBS's CSI: Miami had its smallest audience ever. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation drew its second smallest audience ever for an original episode. (The smallest audience was recorded a week earlier.) ABC's Grey's Anatomy recorded its smallest audience since moving to Thursday nights two years ago. NBC's Deal or No Deal had its third smallest audience. For the week overall, CBS continued to lead with an average 6.5 rating and an 11 share. ABC placed second with a 6.0/10. Fox came in third with a 5.7/10. (It ranked first among adults 18-49, however.) And NBC trailed with an average 4.3/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 14.5/23; 2. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 13.6/21; 3. Dancing With the Stars (Monday), ABC, 11.8/18; 4. Dancing With the Stars (Tuesday), ABC, 11.4/17; 5. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 11.1/17; 6. Desperate Housewives, ABC, 10.8/17; 7. Grey's Anatomy, ABC, 10.2/16; 8. NCIS, CBS, 9.4/15; 9. CSI: Miami, CBS, 9.2/15; 10. House, Fox, 8.8/13.

07/05/2008