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"American Idol" steals Olympic gold in TV ratings
2006-02-15
U.S. television viewers proved they prefer amateur singers to champion skiers and figure skaters as the hit talent contest "American Idol" stomped NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics in the ratings. "American Idol" on the Fox network averaged 26.3 million viewers on Tuesday night, compared with just 16 million who tuned in during the same hour for NBC's tape-delayed broadcast of the Winter Games, according to early figures from Nielsen Media Research on Wednesday. Among viewers aged 18 to 49, the audience group most prized by advertisers, "American Idol" had more than double NBC's ratings in head-to-head competition against the Olympics. Fox, a unit of News Corp. Ltd., even gave NBC a run for its money in the next hour of prime time, as the medical drama "House" ran nearly even with the Winter Games in total viewers --20 million for "House," vs. 20.8 million for the Olympics -- and trounced NBC in ratings among 18- to 49-year-olds. For the night as a whole, Fox surpassed NBC's prime-time Olympics coverage, including America's first gold-medal victory in men's alpine skiing in a decade -- 23.1 million viewers to 18.5 million overall -- and soundly beat NBC in the 18-49 category. The pop star wannabes of "American Idol" likewise outshone the likes of Madonna, U2 and Coldplay in last Tuesday's matchup against the Grammy Awards on CBS, averaging 28 million viewers compared with 15 million for the Grammys. Predictably, this year's Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, have so far failed to attract the viewers of the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, Utah, which enjoyed a stateside advantage allowing live telecasts of many of the marquee events. The Turin games also lost one of the U.S. team's biggest stars when skating champion Michelle Kwan withdrew from competition on Sunday due to a groin injury, ending her unsuccessful quest for Olympic gold. Compared to NBC's regular programing lineup, however, the Winter Games remain a commercial bonanza for the General Electric Co.-owned network as it struggles to bounce back from a ratings slump this season. Despite being bested by Fox and "American Idol," the Turin games gave NBC its most watched Wednesday night in total viewers since the Summer Games in Athens in 2004. And even though the Olympic athletes did not best the amateur singers, the games have proven a formidable rival for "American Idol," the most watched series on U.S. television this season. Last Tuesday's broadcast of the talent show drew 30 million viewers, nearly 4 million more than during Olympics week. Reuters/VNU
Smilin' Emily Hughes Makes Turin Debut (2006-02-17)Champion skater Kwan hired as Disney spokeswoman (2006-02-16)"American Idol" steals Olympic gold in TV ratings (2006-02-15)Injured Michelle Kwan pulls out of Olympics (2006-02-12)Kwan Says Thanks, but No, to NBC's Offer (2006-02-12)
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