Last Nite, AI's Ratings Beat All 5 Other Networks Combined

'American Idol' Reigns Supreme Tuesday
FOX beats combined competition in viewers, 18-49
Zap2It.com

March 22 2006

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, March 21, 2006

The 1950s proved to be a great decade for "American Idol" Tuesday, as
the show thoroughly dominated its competition. In total viewers and
adults 18-49, FOX beat the combined total of the other five
English-language networks for the night.

In households, FOX averaged a 19.2 rating/28 share in primetime, almost
beating the total (21.0/32) for the other five. CBS was the best of the
rest at 7.7/12, and NBC finished third with a 5.5/8. ABC's 4.7/7 was
good for fourth. The WB, 1.9/3, beat out UPN, 1.2/2.

FOX's 13.6 rating among adults 18-49 was more than three times better
than second-place CBS, 3.6. NBC came in third in the demographic with a
3.1. ABC averaged 2.2, The WB 1.0 and UPN 0.7.

The first hour of "American Idol," featuring tunes from the '50s, scored
an 18.2/28 at 8 p.m. A repeat of "NCIS," 7.5/11, put CBS in second.
"According to Jim," 4.2/7, and the Tuesday debut of "Hope & Faith,"
4.1/6, were third for ABC, beating an hour of "Most Outrageous Moments"
on NBC. A "Gilmore Girls" rerun, 1.9/3, on The WB topped an "America's
Next Top Model" encore on UPN.

At 9 p.m., "Idol" improved to a 20.1/29, bringing in close to 34.7
million viewers. "The Unit" kept CBS in second with a 9.7/14. NBC moved
up to third, averaging 3.6/5 with two episodes of "Scrubs." An hour of
"Sons & Daughters" managed only a 3.1/4 for ABC. A second "Gilmore
Girls" held steady for The WB. UPN trailed with a "Veronica Mars" rerun.

With FOX's night over, NBC took the lead at 10 p.m. thanks to "Law &
Order: SVU," 9.2/15. "Boston Legal" posted a 6.8/11 for ABC, beating out
"The Amazing Race," 6.0/10, on CBS.

Taylor...