TV Ratings: 'Glee' bump gives FOX a Wednesday split

FOX takes the demo as CBS' Grammy nomination special fails to excite

Thursday, Dec 3, 2009 11:42 AM

Daniel Fienberg

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TV Ratings: 'Glee' bump gives FOX a Wednesday split

Lea Michele of 'Glee'

Credit: FOX

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

Facing repeats and a lackluster Grammy Nomination Concert on the other networks, FOX's "Glee" soared to its best ratings of the season and helped FOX split the slow Wednesday night.

Among adults 18-49, FOX delivered a 3.0 rating, edging the 2.8 rating for CBS in the key demographic. NBC and ABC were a distant third with a 1.8 rating. The CW's 0.4 rating trailed.

Overall, though, CBS and NBC both posted a 5.0 rating/8 share, though CBS averaged 8.42 million viewers to top the 7.54 million viewers for NBC. FOX's 4.4/7 was third, followed by the 3.5/6 for ABC. The CW's 0.7/1 was fifth.

At 8 p.m., CBS's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and NBC's "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" tied for first with a 5.7/9, though CBS won the key demo with a 3.8 rating and also dominated in total viewers, averaging 10.74 million, compared to the 8.78 million for NBC. So how exactly did NBC and CBS tie? Ratings are fickle and strange. Also tying were ABC's "Modern Family" repeat and a new "The Middle" and FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance," which both posted a 3.9/6, though FOX averaged more viewers and a higher demo rating. The CW's "Gossip Girl" trailed.

NBC moved up to first overall at 9 p.m. with a 5.5/9 for a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" repeat. FOX's "Glee" turned in a 4.8/8, averaging 8.17 million viewers and a 3.6 demo rating, which won the hour. CBS' "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! - Countdown to Music's Biggest Night" did only a 4.0/6 for third. ABC's "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" repeats were fourth, many times better than a 0.7/1 for The CW's repeat of "The Vampire Diaries."

CBS closed in first with a 5.3/9 for a repeat of "Criminal Minds." NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" had a 3.8/6 for second, leaving ABC's burnoff of "Eastwick" in third with a 2.8/5.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.