Update 2: Per final Nielsen live+same-day data, FOX’s season 15 “American Idol” premiere averaged a 3.0 adults 18-49 rating and 10.964 million total viewers in the 8-10PM timeslot.
Airing in the 8PM window as a one-hour premiere, last season’s opener drew a 3.2 with 11.20 million.
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Update: The fifteenth season of “American Idol” opened to a slightly smaller audience than the fourteenth season.
Per Nielsen fast national data, Wednesday’s episode drew a 2.8 adults 18-49 rating and 10.685 million viewers in the 8PM hour and a 3.1 with 11.016 million total viewers in the 9PM hour.
Last year’s premiere, which only occupied the 8PM hour, posted a 3.2 and reached 11.20 million total viewers.
This is the final season of FOX’s flagship reality competition.
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While the same may not be true of the final adults 18-49 and total viewership marks, the final “American Idol” season premiere suffered a slight year-over-year decline in the overnight household ratings.
Per metered market data, Wednesday’s season fifteen “Idol” launch averaged a 7.3 overnight household rating from 8-10PM ET.
Last year’s opener, which aired as a one-hour lead-in to FOX’s “Empire,” posted a 7.8 rating.
“Idol” still ranked as the night’s top broadcast network program in the overnight households, and it should earn that crown in total viewership as well. Its victory in adults 18-49 will likely hinge on the extent to which the slowing “Modern Family” bounced back for its winter premiere.
Adults 18-49 and total viewership figures are due by 11:15AM ET.
