Surprising no one, American Idol placed #1 and #2 for the 2008-9 broadcast prime-time season in terms of viewing by adults 18-49, the demographic most valued by TV advertisers.
With NBC Sunday Night Football at #3, two other NFL related shows were also in the top 20, The OT (Fox's Sunday recap show) and NBC's Sunday Night Pre-Kick runup show.
Along with American Idol and football there were a total of 11 unscripted shows in the top 20. Cheap (except for NFL games) and successful is a powerful force in the TV world.
CBS and ABC lead the networks, each with 6 of the top 20 shows. Fox and NBC each claimed 4 of the top 20 shows. But American Idol's lead over the runner ups was so great that Fox easily won the seasonal 18-49 title.
Most surprising to me is the return of The Bachelor to such a level of success. Time will tell whether this season was just lightning in a bottle or whether the franchise has been revived.
Compare this season's top 20 to last season's (2007-8) top 20. Remember the WGA strike hammered most scripted shows.
Top 20 Shows For Adults 18-49 For The 2008-9 Broadcast Prime-Time Season
| Rank | Programs | Network | STD Adults 18-49 Live+SD (000) | P18-49 Rating |
| 1 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 12,196 | 9.2 |
| 2 | American Idol-TUESDAY | FOX | 12,043 | 9.1 |
| 3 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 8,533 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Desperate Housewives | ABC | 6,799 | 5.2 |
| 5 | GREY'S ANATOMY | ABC | 6,278 | 4.8 |
| 6 | Two and a Half Men | CBS | 6,215 | 4.7 |
| 7 | HOUSE | FOX | 6,140 | 4.7 |
| 8 | Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 6,135 | 4.6 |
| 9 | CSI | CBS | 6,000 | 4.5 |
| 10 | THE OT | FOX | 5,772 | 4.4 |
| 11 | LOST | ABC | 5,597 | 4.2 |
| 12 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 5,578 | 4.2 |
| 13 | SURVIVOR: GABON | CBS | 5,543 | 4.2 |
| 14 | OFFICE | NBC | 5,292 | 4.0 |
| 15 | The Bachelor | ABC | 5,245 | 4.0 |
| 16 | Rules of Engagement | CBS | 5,154 | 3.9 |
| 17 | SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS | CBS | 5,073 | 3.8 |
| 18 | Biggest Loser 7 | NBC | 5,020 | 3.8 |
| 19 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 5,017 | 3.8 |
| 20 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 4,836 | 3.7 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
happy to see both survivors up there !
how can people whine about DH if its the #4 show this season???
CHUCK! sorry I had to. This is cool
I mean I didn’t realize that Two and a Half Men was still so popular. Cool.
On paper the 2009 season of SNF looks to be one of the best ever matchup wise so it should be #3 next season again.
It’s interesting that there are only four FOX shows up there. Same number as NBC.
once again the power of the nfl……very surprise about the bachlor. it does have legs.
Wow, Rules of Engagement makes it but not TBBT or HIMYM. Why does CBS insist on keeping it as a mid-season replacement?
It would really be interesting to see how or if this list changes with LIVE plus 3 day DVR viewing. It may lift “Lost” into the Top 10.
So for stable megahits (4+): 1 nonscripted for each network (Prekick and OT don’t really count.)
For scripted, 3 ABC, 2 CBS, 1 FOX/NBC. It really is amazing how in one season ABC got such huge shows.
I know 18 – 49 is the prize demo but what about for overall audience numbers; is that available? I’m curious how the two lists differ.
Rob R, I have never seen Live+3 viewing data in public. I’m not certain it exists. We have seen one or two looks at C+3 commercial ratings, but nothing substantive. Until Oct, 2008, we saw season to date Live+7 viewing data, and I’m sure that’s still being collected and sold, but it’s no longer on the “free to the press” menu from Nielsen.
If they follow what they did last year, THR’s season wrap-up (which I think will be posted on Friday, based on when it was posted the past couple of years) will use the “most current” numbers, which means Live+7.
Honestly, will we EVER tire of American Idol?? Other than Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, have any of the “winners” gone on to be BIG stars? I know Jennifer Hudson made it big on Broadway or a movie or something, but I don’t think she ever sold a lot of records (although I may be wrong). I can’t honestly recall any of the other winners “making it big”(i.e., Taylor, Reuben, etc.)(but then again, I haven’t watched the show in probably 5 years – I only know what shows up on the Internet)!!
The most entertaining thing I ever found with American Idol was when “Triumph the Insult Comic Dog” (from the Conan O’Brien Show) would go out and do his own auditions of people who were standing in line to audition for the show. Now THAT I would still tune it to see!
Good to know Julia, THR benefits from eating from the “owned by Nielsen” menu
Bill, we have access to 18-49 S-T-D “most current” and Live+7 numbers too. For anyone who cares about the designations, Most Current is “live+7″ wherever available and Live+SD where they are not yet available. In terms of of the S-T-D “Most Current” info, it would all be Live+7 except for the last couple of weeks which would be Live+SD.
Hmm, show’s what I know!
Top 20 Average Viewership for 2008-9 is now posted.
John K, The Rules/BBT/Mother comparison is a little skewed. Season-to-date numbers include all in-slot reruns. Since BBT and Mother have quite a few included while Rules doesn’t, that will make Rules look a little better. Also, Rules has the benefit of a huge lead-in.
What I find more interesting about Fox is that 2 of the four shows on the list is American Idol. It goes to prove that once Fox does, if ever, loses Idol they’d end up at NBC status.