Due to the nature of live programming the ratings for ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox are approximate because of the Presidential Address and subject to significant revisions in the final numbers. See below for more information on these Fast Affiliate Ratings.
| Scoreboard |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 18-49: Rating/Share | 3.2/9 | 2.4/7 | 2.1/6 | 1.6/4 | 1.4/4 | 0.9/3 |
| Adults 18-34: Rating/Share | 2.5/8 | 2.1/6 | 2.0/6 | 1.4/4 | 1.3/4 | 1.1/3 |
| Total Viewers (million) | 9.344 | 10.539 | 5.494 | 5.487 | 3.795 | 1.814 |
NBC's Biggest Loser ratings went large, bowling over the competition in its wake. The season premiere of Scrubs averaged a 2.0 rating, better than I expected. Melrose Place ratings were nearly invisible.
We still do not have combined, or final, numbers for last night's Presidential address yet.
Update: Here are final, combined numbers for last night's address, with some historical comparisons.
For comparison, on September 9 in the preliminary ratings from 8pm-9pm the president averaged 21.2 million on ABC (adults 18-49 rating/share =1.8/5, 7.4 million total viewers), CBS (1.2/4, 5.63 million) and NBC (1.9/6.8.16 million).
Among the 4 broadcast networks covering the 30 minute address last night, there were 30.84 million average viewers. Among the 3 that covered the Sept. 9 address, there were 26.3 million. So using just these preliminary broadcast only numbers, the average viewership was up anyway you look at it vs. Sept. 9.
Here are the final combined numbers (32.1 million average viewers) for the September 9 address.
ABC's season premiere of Scrubs averaged a 2.0 adults 18-49 rating for both episodes. Not great, but I expected even worse. Remember, Scrubs is only on the air to generate more episodes for syndication purposes. Anyone imagining the forgotten has any chance to come back should be pulled back to reality today as it managed only a 1.2 rating its lowest ever, down 33% from its last new episode on November 17.
The Biggest Loser was extra big, up 6% from last week to a 3.7 adults 18-49 rating. It, minus The Jay Leno Show, was the reason NBC topped the night's 18-49 ratings.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on CBS registered a 2.9 rating, down 19% from last year's (12/3) show.
Partially against the President's address, 90210 fared slightly better, up a fraction to a 1.15 adults 18-49 rating, than its last new episode (11/17). The tiny bump that the return of Heather Locklear generated in Melrose Place ratings vanished, as it settled to a 0.7 adults 18-49 rating, the same as the episode before she returned.
| Time | Net | Show | 18-49 Rating | 18-49 Share | Viewers Live+SD (million) |
| 8:00 | NBC | Presidential Address | 2.1 | 6 | 8.653 |
| CBS | Presidential Address | 1.9 | 6 | 10.158 | |
| FOX | Presidential Address | 1.8 | 5 | 4.573 | |
| ABC | Presidential Address | 1.7 | 5 | 7.460 | |
| CW | 90210 | 1.1 | 3 | 2.173 | |
| 8:30 | FOX | So You Think You Can Dance | 2.2 | 6 | 5.621 |
| NBC | Presidential Address | 2.0 | 6 | 7.522 | |
| CBS | NCIS (repeat) | 1.9 | 5 | 10.756 | |
| ABC | Modern Family (repeat) | 1.5 | 4 | 5.466 | |
| CW | 90210 | 1.2 | 3 | 2.237 | |
| 9:00 | NBC | The Biggest Loser | 3.6 | 9 | 9.698 |
| CBS | NCIS (repeat) | 2.4 | 6 | 12.872 | |
| FOX | So You Think You Can Dance | 2.3 | 6 | 5.839 | |
| ABC | Scrubs | 2.0 | 5 | 4.627 | |
| CW | Melrose Place | 0.7 | 2 | 1.457 | |
| 9:30 | NBC | The Biggest Loser | 3.6 | 9 | 9.708 |
| CBS | Two and a Half Men (repeat) | 2.7 | 7 | 13.498 | |
| FOX | So You Think You Can Dance | 2.2 | 6 | 5.808 | |
| ABC | Scrubs | 2.0 | 5 | 4.458 | |
| CW | Melrose Place | 0.7 | 2 | 1.387 | |
| 10:00 | NBC | The Biggest Loser | 3.9 | 10 | 10.334 |
| CBS | Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (special) | 2.8 | 7 | 8.295 | |
| FOX | So You Think You Can Dance | 1.8 | 5 | 5.631 | |
| ABC | the forgotten | 1.3 | 3 | 5.500 | |
| 10:30 | NBC | The Biggest Loser | 3.9 | 11 | 10.148 |
| CBS | Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (special) | 3.0 | 8 | 7.653 | |
| ABC | the forgotten | 1.2 | 3 | 5.412 |
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You can see TV ratings from other recent Overnight ratings reports here.
Definitions:
*Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports.
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
I doubt that Scrubs keeps that demo next week. I watched the 2 episodes, and it was enough. Never again, never again.
I don’t watch any of the shows listed in this article; I despise all reality shows and could never put up with Scrubs. With that said, CW needs to wake up and realize that Melrose Place is a HUGE flop and pull it from the air NOW. Why waste anymore airtime? The (so-called) network could air something else that might actually pull in ratings.
Scrubs wasn’t good imho. It was just OK. I know we’ll get its ratings later but Sons of Anarchy was amazing last night. Hope it gets strong ratings
My review on last nights shows that I have watched:
NCIS (Tuesday 8/7c CBS) 9.0/10
I didn’t know it was a repeat, not a new episode.
Scrubs (Tuesday 9/8c ABC) 8.5/10
The beginning part was very funny, I may like the new cast.
Ouch- that’s a series low for the Forgotten! It really lived up to its name last night.
Now that’s what I was talking about. Forgotten is nothing without a strong lead-in, and not much with it, either.
Eastwick was the stronger player here, Eastwick should have gotten renewed. Well, it’s still not too late, ABC.
(yes, some of you will say it dies last Wednesday but come on, that was Thanksgiving, it will probably bounce back)
What the hell happened with Forgotten????
There is no question “Melrose Place” is getting canceled.
Eastwick didn’t die last Wednesday, phantom, it officially died on November 10th.
I’m disappointed that the numbers for 90210 weren’t higher, because it was an amazing episode last night. But the audience did grow during the second half, so that’s something. Melrose got terrible ratings as usual, and declined during it’s second half. Stick a fork in it!
By the way, the Presidential Address started from where i lived at 5pm
Phantom- Eastwick and the Forgotten BOTH deserve to be cancelled. The ratings for both are horrible, especially in the demo.
I question FOX’s attitude towards dance. I know it’ll come back – likely for years. It’s creatively incredible. It does fine in the summer, and barely below average in the fall. If it were pulling a 2.5 right now, would say it comes back for the fall. It isn’t. I It has a 2.2. That is not enough. Maybe it comes back to fall. Maybe not. It sure looks great on their schedule – makes things less difficult come January and Idol. Still though, unless the ratings go up in the coming weeks, I don’t expect a fall come back next year. Summer, a sure thing though. SYTYCD is a FOX creation, and FOX loves it. They won’t let it go for some time. DWTS definitely hurt it (just as it hurt DWTS), but it still does marginally OKAY. FOX does profit off of it. I do know that. It has a large cult fanbase, and critical love. Though, still, it may not be enough. I am told it depends on the continues success of GLEE, and the success of Human Target, along with the stabilization of Lie To Me, and fate of 24. If both of the new shows work for FOX, (and many believe they will), than SYTYCD stays in the summer. Lie To Me, and 24′s fate could also be a determining factor. FOX wants to have a new “baby” in the fall – (this years Glee) – and that won’t be able to happen if FOX keeps SYTYCD in the works for 4 hours a week.
Without “V” and “Dancing with the Stars,” ABC took a big hit. Most shows looked down, though.
The numbers will def be skewed for last night because of the PA. Mountain and Pacific times it ran before primetime so I know the networks rans various repeats (like BL on NBC)
Dawn needs to listen to CW fans and stop being so thick headed. Melrose Place and 90210 DO NOT belong together. Find another night for Melrose Place! Even Fox eventually broke up the pair because they don’t coexist very well.
Good news for NBC and “Biggest Loser.” Loser did double in terms of demo and audience during the 10pm hour than Jay Leno did. I’m sure NBC is looking at that with interest and if Jay doesn’t start doing better among the repeats may have to do something.
Post now substantially updated with everything but previous Presidential address numbers. ^
“Remember, Scrubs is only on the air to generate more episodes for syndication purposes.”
can someone elaborate on this? isn’t scrubs way past the 88-100 episode minimum to acquire a syndication deal? it’s been on for 8 years.
Forgotten’s numbers are ugly. Clearly a program of last resort, as their usual audience went with BL and Victoria’s Secret instead. If ABC schedules their second half anywhere other than the weak Tue 10pm hour, the ratings will be ugly.
Speaking of last resort, did SYTYCD’s numbers really go downhill that badly as better shows came online, or is that 10pm hour mixed in with local news?
So the Locklear bump is already gone from Melrose. Mildly interested in seeing if CW orders more episodes (don’t they only have an 18 episode order at this point?) or just call it dead one Feb episodes have aired.
Scrubs/Ted will drop down quite a bit next week, I imagine. Not sure either gets above a 1.5.