Wrapping up its final two episodes last week, Fox’s “American Idol” firmly established itself as the highest-rated breakout hit of summer 2002-and the first summer breakout since “Survivor’s” inaugural run on CBS in 2000. As the accompanying chart indicates, the ratings and growth curve for “Idol” represent about half of “Survivor’s” supernova-like ratings track.
Still, it is important to note that “Idol’s” reach with the female demographics (recording a 14.7 rating/39 share among women 18 to 34 and 14.1/41 in female teens for its Sept. 4 finale) unexpectedly brought in a huge bounty for the traditionally male-skewing Fox Network.