Fox, CBS Dominated Primetime Last Week

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox was the champ in prime-time ratings last week, with CBS close behind, as the two networks seized almost exclusive control of the Top 30 roster.

Fox was supercharged with three editions of “American Idol” (which took the first, third and fourth slots for the week), along with its Daytona 500 NASCAR coverage.

CBS, as usual, was powered by its slate of dramas, sitcoms and reality shows, claiming 21 of the Top 30 rankings (including “NCIS,” which placed second for the week overall).

ABC landed “Modern Family,” “Once Upon a Time” and “Castle” in the Top 30, while NBC’s only entry was “The Voice,” in sixth place, the Nielsen Co. said Tuesday.

For the week in primetime, Fox averaged 10.45 million viewers (6.1 household rating, 10 share), followed closely by CBS with 10.23 million (6.5 rating, 11 share). Far behind was ABC with 6.39 million (4.1 rating, 7 share) and NBC with 5.71 million (3.6 rating, 6 share). Ion Television averaged 1.17 million and the CW had 1.11 million (both with 0.8 rating, 1 share).

Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision led with a 3.74 million viewer average (1.9 rating, 3 share), Telemundo had 1.21 million (0.7 rating, 1 share), Telefutura had 690,000 (0.4 rating, 1 share), Estrella had 210,000 and Azteca 120,000 (both 0.1 rating, 0 share).

NBC’s “Nightly News” topped the evening newscasts with an average of 9.7 million viewers (6.3 household rating, 12share). ABC’s “World News” was second with 8.0 million (5.4 rating, 10 share), while the “CBS Evening News” had 6.8 million viewers (4.6 rating, 9 share).

A ratings point represents 1,147,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation’s estimated 114.7 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

The Top 20

Primetime viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Feb. 27-March 4. Listings include the week’s ranking and viewership.

1. “American Idol” (Thursday), Fox, 18.45 million.

2. “NCIS,” CBS, 18.20 million.

3. “American Idol” (Wednesday), Fox, 17.23 million.

4. “American Idol” (Special – Tuesday), Fox, 16.11 million.

5. “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS, 15.85 million.

6. “The Voice,” NBC, 14.89 million.

7. NASCAR Daytona 500, Fox, 13.67 million.

8. “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 12.54 million.

9. NASCAR Daytona 500 (continuing), Fox, 12.47 million.

10. “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 11.92 million.

11. “Modern Family,” ABC, 11.63 million.

12. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 11.51 million.

13. “Blue Bloods,” CBS, 11.47 million.

14. “CSI,” CBS, 11.30 million.

15. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 11.11 million.

16. “Once Upon a Time,” ABC, 10.67 million.

17. “Survivor: One World,” CBS, 10.65 million.

18. “Amazing Race,” CBS, 10.30 million.

19. “2 Broke Girls,” 10.18 million.

20. “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 10.14 million.