People Top 5
LAST UPDATE: Thursday December 04, 2008 11:10AM EST
PEOPLE Top 5 are the most-viewed stories on the site over the past three days, updated every 60 minutes
Reality TV Bowls Over Nielsen Ratings
While ABC's Super Bowl XXXVII conquered last week's Nielsen ratings, FOX's "American Idol" and "Joe Millionaire" scored decisive numbers, too.
Originally posted Wednesday January 29, 2003 02:44 PM EST
ABC's telecast of Super Bowl XXXVII turned out, typically, to be the ratings champ of last week, but there was cause for popping champagne corks over at FOX, too.
The network's "American Idol" attracted a whopping 26.5 million viewers for the first night of its second season last Tuesday, and just under 25 million for the second episode Wednesday, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox's other reality phenom, "Joe Millionaire," also landed in the top 10.
As far as the Bowl played out, Sunday's game was seen by an average of 88.6 million people, with ABC estimating that 137.6 million Americans watched at least some of the game, making it the second most-watched Super Bowl ever by this measure -- behind only the 1996 Dallas-Pittsburgh game. (Population increases favor more recent Bowls, notes the Associated Press.)
For the week of Jan. 20-26, the Top 10 prime-time programs were as follows:
1. Super Bowl XXXVII, ABC, 88.6 million viewers
2. Super Bowl Post Game Special, 71.6 million
3. Super Bowl Post Game, ABC, 48.2 million
4. "American Idol," Tuesday, FOX, 26.5 million
5. "American Idol," Wednesday, FOX, 24.9 million
6. "CSI," CBS, 24.5 million
7. "American Idol Special," FOX, 23.6 million
8. "Joe Millionaire," FOX, 18.8 million
9. "Friends," NBC, 16.6 million
10. "Law & Order," NBC, 16.6 million
The network's "American Idol" attracted a whopping 26.5 million viewers for the first night of its second season last Tuesday, and just under 25 million for the second episode Wednesday, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox's other reality phenom, "Joe Millionaire," also landed in the top 10.
As far as the Bowl played out, Sunday's game was seen by an average of 88.6 million people, with ABC estimating that 137.6 million Americans watched at least some of the game, making it the second most-watched Super Bowl ever by this measure -- behind only the 1996 Dallas-Pittsburgh game. (Population increases favor more recent Bowls, notes the Associated Press.)
For the week of Jan. 20-26, the Top 10 prime-time programs were as follows:
1. Super Bowl XXXVII, ABC, 88.6 million viewers
2. Super Bowl Post Game Special, 71.6 million
3. Super Bowl Post Game, ABC, 48.2 million
4. "American Idol," Tuesday, FOX, 26.5 million
5. "American Idol," Wednesday, FOX, 24.9 million
6. "CSI," CBS, 24.5 million
7. "American Idol Special," FOX, 23.6 million
8. "Joe Millionaire," FOX, 18.8 million
9. "Friends," NBC, 16.6 million
10. "Law & Order," NBC, 16.6 million
Latest video
Star Talk
Michael Phelps: From Speedo to Tuxedo!
SI's Sportsman of the Year talks about his latest honor – and being named one of PEOPLE's Sexiest Men Alive (with photographs by Heinz Kluetmeier)
Advertisement
Today's Photos
What's Hot on People.com
Promotion
Treat Yourself! 4 Preview Issues















