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All-Time Ratings Lows for Two More ABC Series — But That’s Still Better Than How NBC Fared

Nov 1, 2012  •  Post A Comment

On a night when three of the big four broadcast networks fought their way to a close finish in the ratings, the numbers across the board were generally down Wednesday night as the traditional Halloween dip took its toll, TVbytheNumbers.com reports.

Citing Nielsen overnight numbers, the piece reports Fox, CBS and ABC in a close race for No. 1 in the key 18-49 demo, with NBC well off the pace. Fox finished prime time with a 2.7 average rating in the demo, followed by CBS (2.5 average), ABC (2.4) and NBC (1.4). CBS, however, demonstrated its continuing appeal among older viewers by easily winning the night in total viewers, averaging 10.9 million to 7.4 million for Fox, 7.0 million for ABC and 5.1 million for NBC.

On broadcast overall, viewership in the 18-49 demo was down 7% from last Wednesday, the piece reports.

Fox’s win came via its two-hour “X Factor,” but the show’s 2.7 average in 18-49 was well below the 3.5 it delivered for its previous Wednesday episode.

CBS’s two dramas and one reality show were all down from a week ago: “Surivor: Philippines” slipped to a 2.4 in viewers 18-49, down 14%; “Criminal Minds” settled for a 2.9, down 6%; and “CSI” dipped to a 2.3, off 4%.

ABC’s night started on a positive note with a 2.7 average in 18-49 for the holiday special “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” up 17% from last year’s airing. But it was downhill from there, including all-time lows for two series: “The Neighbors” was down 10% from a week ago to a series-low 1.8, while “Nashville” also turned in a series-low 1.8, also down 10%.

Elsewhere on ABC, “Modern Family” led the way with a 4.1 in viewers 18-49, but that number was down 16% from a week ago, while “Suburgatory” dropped 11% to a 2.4.

The ABC slump followed a difficult night in the ratings for the network Tuesday night, as previously reported.

On fourth-place NBC, its “30 Rock” equaled its all-time series low with a 1.2 in 18-49 — matching the number turned in last week by the canceled series “Animal Practice” in the same time period. “Guys With Kids” also equaled last week’s number, a 1.4, but “Law & Order: SVU” was down 11% to a 1.7 and “Chicago Fire” was down 17% to a 1.8.

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