Ratings: Broadcast Finals for September 25, 2013

Wednesday night was a fairly balanced night for the Big 4 networks as just over 2 million viewers and five tenths of a ratings point separated 1st place from 4th place.

NBC kicked off the night with the second season premiere of REVOLUTION and it picked up right where it left off, poor ratings. The drama was fourth in the hour in both measured categories, not to mention huge losses from last season series premiere. Unless the papers are signed for 22 episodes, expect a short second season from REVOLUTION.

LAW & ORDER: SVU salvaged the night for ABC, grabbing 9.6 million viewers and a 2.7 rating in Adults 18-49. It was up about 2.5 million viewers and 29% in the demo ratings, from last years opener. The veteran crime drama was still third in its time slot.

On ABC, it was slightly better. THE MIDDLE began the night in second place, drawing 8.9 million viewers and a 2.5 demo rating. However, 14% off from last year's demo ratings for the season premiere. We'll watch the season to see if THE MIDDLE begins to get a syndication bump in the ratings.

New series BACK IN THE GAME followed THE MIDDLE and only lost about 10% of its lead in. Respectable for an unknown series, but the raw numbers are less than stellar. Just 8.0 million viewers and a 2.2 demo ratings.

MODERN FAMILY's one hour premiere was the #1 show of the night in both viewers (11.7 million) and in the A18-49 ratings (4.2). But, this is way below last year's season premiere, which had 2.7 million more viewers and 19% more viewers in the A18-49 ratings. Has MODERN FAMILY already peaked??

At 10 p.m. on ABC, NASHVILLE was a third place program, collecting 6.5 million viewers and a 2.0 demo rating. That is 2.4 million less viewers and a drop of more than 25% in the demo from 2012. Good news is that it did tie CSI in the A18-49 ratings.

For CBS, everything was down year-to-year. SURVIVOR off one million viewers and 20% in the A18-49 ratings. CRIMINAL MINDS down 10% in the demo ratings. CSI had the biggest declines, 1.7 million viewers lost and 20% IN THE DEMO. After three nights, CBS is, relatively, not looking that good.

Week three of THE X FACTOR saw the ratings rise from the previous week. It was up one million viewers and 14% from last Wednesday's telecast.
 

Wednesday Night Network Averages:

ABC - 8.9 million viewers, 2.9 rating in Adults 18-49

CBS - 10.0 million viewers, 2.4 rating in Adults 18-49

CW - 0.9 million viewers, 0.3 rating in Adults 18-49

FOX - 7.7 million viewers, 2.5 rating in Adults 18-49

NBC - 8.7 million viewers, 2.4 rating in Adults 18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	The Middle	8.94	2.5
8:30	ABC	Back In The Game	8.01	2.2	-10%
9:00	ABC	Modern Family	11.68	4.2	46%
20:00	ABC	Nashville	6.50	2.0	-44%
8:00	CBS	Survivor	9.54	2.4
9:00	CBS	Criminal Minds	11.27	2.8	18%
10:00	CBS	CSI	9.12	2.0	-19%
8:00	CW	Arrow [R]	1.15	0.3
9:00	CW	Capture	0.58	0.2	-50%
8:00	FOX	X-Factor	7.73	2.5
8:00	NBC	Revolution	6.81	1.8
9:00	NBC	Law & Order: SVU	9.58	2.7	41%

* - in millions