'American Idol' 10th Season Starts Down, Pushes Competition Lower

The 10th season of American Idol premiered down 18% among adults 18-49, drawing a 9.7 rating compared to the 11.8 rating for last year’s Tuesday premiere. Idol’s 26.1 million average viewers was down 13% from last year’s premiere 29.945 million. That’s more than the 10-15% seasonal ratings decline that has been typical in recent seasons.

ABC was mostly down:

The Middle’s 2.7 adults 18-49 rating fell 10% vs. last week. 

Better With You’s 2.2 rating was 12% below its last new episode two weeks ago.  

Modern Family’s 4.6 rating was up from it’s 4.2 rating last week during the Tucson memorial Wednesday jumble, but down from the 4.8 rating the week before. 

Cougar Town’s 2.5 rating was down 11% vs. its last new episode two weeks ago. 

Off The Map’s second outing fell 9% (not bad) to a 2.1 adults 18-49 rating. 

CBS DOWN:

Paula Abdul's Live To Dance fell 33% to just a 1.0 adults 18-49 rating, which is worst than most repeats of episodes of Old Christine even!

NBC:

Minute To Win It’s 1.6 rating was up 14% vs. the Tucson jumbled episode last week. 

Chase flopped in with just a 1.0 adults 18-49 rating.

Chase, Law & Order: SVU struggled at 10pm with just a 2.3 adults 18-49 rating, down 8% vs. last Wednesday.

Via NBC press notes:

In Late-Night Metered Markets Wednesday night:
In Nielsen’s 56 metered markets, household results were: “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 3.0/8; CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman,” 2.9/7; and ABC’s combo of “Nightline,” 3.2/7; and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” 1.5/5.
In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” 1.0/5; “Late Show,” 0.7/3; “Nightline,” 1.0/4; and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” 0.5/3.
At 12:35 a.m., “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” (1.5/5 in metered-market households) out-rated CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, “Late Night” (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped “Late Late Show” (0.4/3).
At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly” averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.