AMERICAN IDOL Hits Ratings High for May Sweeps

FOX (17.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) dominated the competition on Wednesday thanks to a two-hour AMERICAN IDOL (17.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1). Said numbers marked the highest-rated telecast so far during the sweeps period among adults 18-49 and its highest total viewers in seven weeks.

Here are the other highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed a distant second place with repeats of "Mike & Molly" (4.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) and "Rules of Engagement" (4.02 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) followed by the two-hour season finale of "Criminal Minds" (13.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3).

Next up was ABC (6.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with a new "The Middle" (6.49 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) - matching its season low, the season finale of "Suburgatory" (5.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7) and originals of "Modern Family" (9.30 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (4.84 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4) - also matching its season low - and "Revenge" (6.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a new "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.11 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10), a second new "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9), a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.84 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and an original "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8).

And finally, The CW (0.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) offered up a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.80 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) followed by an original "America's Next Top Model" (1.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):
In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.