Nielsen Ratings April 16: 23 Million Send off Kristy Lee Cook

Obama and Hillary Get Fairly Good Ratings

Scoreboard for Weds. April 16, 2008
Total Viewers (million)	14.58	10.78	9.17	6.75	2.78
Rating/Share: Adults 18-49	5.4/15	3.2/9	2.4/6	1.9/5	1.4/4

My own American Idol, Pardon The Interruption's Tony Kornheiser will breathe easier knowing that Kristy Lee Cook finally had to go.  On average for the one hour edition of Idol, almost 23 million couldn't wait to send her off.   But next year I wonder if FOX will make all airings of American Idol ninety minutes to one hour, because the two half hour comedies that led-in to Idol, ‘Til Death and Back to You stunk it up.  The former Frasier could muster but 7 million at 8:30pm.  American Idol added more than 15 million.  You do the math.

Perhaps it's just me, but even though I'm extremely apolitical, I take comfort in the knowledge that more people watched Obama Face Off against Hillary than Big Brother.  Even in the 18-49 demo ABC's coverage of the Democratic Presidential Debate had more viewers than BB during the 8p-9p hour. Overall the debate which ran from 8p-10p averaged almost 11 million and a 2.8/8 in the 18-49 year old demographic.  The bad news is that most of them didn't stick around for Men in Trees at 10pm. Trees just cleared 6 million viewers and had a pitiful 1.6/5 in the 18-49 demo.

CBS was in second (behind FOX, naturally) and aside from the aforementioned Big Brother which is no ratings force, Criminal Minds and CSI: NY performed solidly both overall and in the 18-49 year old demographic.  Similar performance for both shows (~13 million viewers each) and both did a 3.5 or better in the 18-49 demographic.

Over on NBC was an uneventful lineup of Deal or No Deal ( which had average performance, but like everything else between 8p-9p was beaten by Obama and Hillary) and repeats of Law & Order: CI and Law & Order.  Nothing eventful to report on that front.

Over on the CW, Tyra Banks still can't quite draw 4 million live plus same day DVR viewers for America's Next Top Model.  I think if Giselle Bundchen was hosting, she'd double the ratings.  Only problem is that unlike  Tyra, Giselle puts the super in super model and reportedly clears almost as much cash as CBS' chief Les Moonves (he pays himself $37 million a year).  I don't think Les could handle somebody working for him who makes more money.  Even if it was good for the ratings.  The CW is half owned by CBS, but as is often noted, CBS calls 100% of the shots.  I'd let Time Warner call the other half so that blame could be spread.  But that's just me.

See the night's full details:

Nielsen Ratings Source: Nielsen Media Research. Full night's results available via Marc Berman/Mediaweek.