“American Idol” Results Show Ratings Up, “CSI: NY,” “Cougar Town” Struggle

Thanks to another decline in the rating for Tuesday’s “American Idol” performance show, the Wednesday results show was able to emerge as the more successful telecast this week.

According to final broadcast ratings from Nielsen Media Research, “Idol”‘s results episode averaged a 6.5 adults 18-49 rating with 19.58 million viewers, up from Tuesday’s 6.2 rating and 17.50 million viewership count.

While that figure is still down dramatically from the year ago rating, which was already down significantly from the show’s peak level in 2006, it does tell an interesting story regarding viewership this season. Several weeks ago, the results shows were getting dominated by the performance shows, presumably because some “Idol” fans had become less willing to sit through an hour-long broadcast to learn of a result they can find out via a ten second Google search at 10:01PM.

Ratings for the performance shows, however, have declined more significantly, now to the point at which the results shows are more widely-viewed. Since “Idol”‘s Tuesday broadcast competition is no more fierce than its Wednesday competition, the only logical explanation is that interest in the performances themselves has dwindled faster than interest in the actual ‘competition.’

It cannot be determined whether that loss of interest is due specifically to the contestants this season or to the aging, often monotonous nature of the performance shows (although based on the steep decline from week-to-week, there is definitely some clear merit to the “contestants are not as interesting” argument), but the decline certainly proves that “Idol” fans are less intrigued by the idea of aspiring singers covering popular music than they have been since the show’s first season.

The struggle some other shows faced Wednesday, however, makes the “Idol” ratings decline look considerably tame. CBS’ “CSI: NY” dropped to a scary 2.3 rating with 10.230 million viewers Wednesday, turning away a large portion of its “Criminal Minds” lead-in (12.39 million, 3.3). CBS’ night opened with a poor-performing “The New Adventures of Old Christine” (6.29 million, 1.8).

While ABC’s “Modern Family” continued to be a powerhouse with the young adult demo (9.48 million, 3.9), its lead-out “Cougar Town” bled a significant portion of the viewership (5.94 million, 2.5). Though the latter went against the stronger portion of the “Idol” results show (7.0 demo from 9:30-10 vs. 6.0 demo from 9-9:30), “Modern Family” has actually grown from its initial head-to-head with “Idol” airings (at a time when “Idol” was at the 8.0 mark), so it is clear that the ABC comedies should not inevitably be expected to die against the FOX competition series. Also on ABC – “The Middle” (6.75 million, 2.3) and dreadful performer “Happy Town” (3.79 million, 1.2).

NBC, meanwhile, saw its “Mercy” drop to a season low 1.0 rating with 3.92 million viewers. “Law & Order: SVU” was good for a 2.6 with 8.43 million.

The CW’s “America’s Next Top Model” delivered an admirable 1.5 rating with 3.41 million viewers, but lead-out “Fly Girls” faltered, posting a 0.5 with 1.10 million viewers in its first half hour and a 0.4 with 0.86 million viewers in half hour number two.