Last week ought to have been the week when the big talent-contest shows, American Idol and Dancing With The Stars, were trouncing everything in sight. To be sure, they still represented potent factors on the Nielsen ratings list, but they were no longer the force that they once had been. Indeed, the most-watched show of the week remained CBS's stalwart, NCIS, which attracted 18.2 million viewers. The performance installment of American Idol on Wednesday was only the second-most-watch show with 16.5 million viewers. (In a ratings anomaly, it was actually edged out for second place on the Nielsen list by ABC's Dancing with the Stars with 16.4 million viewers.) An Associated Press report noted that the series finale of ABC's Desperate Housewives went out in style on Sunday night with 11.1 million viewers -- but it wound up in 15th place. Among the nightly newscasts, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams remained on top with 7.95 million viewers. ABC World News with Diane Sawyer remained a contender with 7.37 million viewers, while the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley trailed with 5.73 million. For the week, CBS again led with a 6.3 household rating and an 11 share. ABC placed second with a 5.1/9. Fox followed with a 4.5/8, while NBC trailed with a 3.6/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research 1. NCIS, CBS, 11.7/19; 2. Dancing with the Stars (Monday), ABC, 10.6/16; 3. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 10.0/16; 4. American Idol ( Thursday), Fox, 9.5/16; 5. NCIS Los Angeles , CBS, 9.2/14; 6. Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday), ABC, 9.0/14; 7. The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 8.2/15; 8. Person of Interest, CBS, 8.1/13; 9. The Mentalist, CBS, 8.0/13; 10. Castle , ABC, 7.9/13.

16/05/2012