Preliminary Ratings: Tuesday 09/16/14

FOX began rolling out it's 2014 fall programs with the season premieres of NEW GIRL and THE MINDY PROJECT, and, unfortunately, the ratings left right off where they were last spring.

NEW GIRL collected just 3.1 million viewers and a 1.6 rating in Adults 18-49. That is an improvement to the 2.4 million and 1.2 demo rating, for the season finale, in May, but it is down 2.3 million viewers and 45% in the demo, from the 2013 season premiere. This once promising comedy, that is still funny, will end up limping its way to a fifth season, just to get episodes for syndication.

THE MINDY PROJECT is in the same boat. It is down one million viewers and 32% in the demographic, from 2013. Both series are in need of a much stronger lead in if FOX wants to help rebuild each series and the night, as a whole. UTOPIA is not the answer.

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT had its final Tuesday episode of the season and for the first time in many, many weeks, it topped BIG BROTHER, head to head. AGT brought in 8.4 million viewers (#2) and a 2.5 demo rating (#1), posting a 32% rise in the A18-49 ratings, week-to-week, but a decline of 1.4 million total viewers. It looks like some of the younger viewers came back just to see who may win, while the older viewers bailed and clicked over to DANCING WITH THE STARS.

DANCING WITH THE STARS continued on Tuesday night, dropping 1.3 million viewers and 12% in the demo, from the previous night. It will be a tough fall season for the veteran competition series, which could end up 4th in its time slot, in the A18-49 ratings.

BIG BROTHER continued with consistent ratings for it's next to last episode, despite the increased competition.

Preliminary Network Averages:

ABC - 6.2 million viewers, 1.1 rating in A18-49

CBS - 5.7 million viewers, 1.3 rating in A18-49

CW - 1.0 million viewers, 0.3 rating in A18-49

FOX - 2.7 million viewers, 1.2 rating in A18-49

NBC - 9.4 million viewers, 2.1 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Dancing With the Stars	12.30	2.1
9:00	ABC	Agents of SHIELD [R]	3.00	0.7	-76%
10:00	ABC	20/20	3.20	0.6	7%
8:00	CBS	Big Brother	6.90	2.3
9:00	CBS	NCIS: LA [R]	5.40	0.9	-22%
10:00	CBS	Person of Interest [R]	4.70	0.8	-13%
8:00	CW	Arrow [R]	1.10	0.3
9:00	CW	Supernatural [R]	1.00	0.3	-9%
8:00	FOX	Utopia	2.50	1.0
9:00	FOX	New Girl	3.10	1.6	24%
9:30	FOX	The Mindy Project	2.80	1.3	-10%
8:00	NBC	America's Got Talent [R]	5.30	1.2
9:00	NBC	America's Got Talent	8.40	2.5	58%

* - in millions