DANCING AND IDOL DRAW HUGE RATINGS

Television’s two powerhouse talent shows, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and Fox’s American Idol, continued to dominate the ratings last week as they headed into the final stretch. With an extra performance show on Tuesday night, Dancing accounted for three shows in the Nielsen top ten, while Idol accounted for two. Monday night’s Dancing was the top-rated show of the week with 21.96 million viewers. But Wednesday night’s Idol actually scored more viewers, 23.56 million. The disparity was created by the fact that more viewers have their sets turned on Tuesday night than on Monday. (The New York Times observed on Tuesday that for the season Idol‘s rating, which have edged lower in recent years, actually increased 4 percent this year.) While those Idol viewers gave Fox the lead among the key 18-49 demographic group, CBS remained the leader among total adults averaging a 6.3 rating and a 10 share. Fox placed second with a 5.1/9, edging out ABC with a 5.4/9. NBC again trailed with a 3.4/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. Dancing with the Stars (Monday), ABC, 13.5/21; 2. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 13.3/21; 3. American Idol (Thursday), Fox, 12.5/21; 4. Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday, 9:00 p.m.), ABC, 11.6/17; 5. NCIS, CBS, 11.4/18; 6. NCIS: Los Angeles, CBS, 9.7/15; 7. Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday, 8:00 p.m.), ABC, 8.9/14; 8. Sunday Night Movie: “Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost,” CBS, 8.7/13; 9. The Mentalist, CBS, 8.6/14; 10. Castle, ABC, 8.1/13; 10. The Good Wife, CBS, 8.1/13.