MediaBuyerPlanner: Taylor Hicks became the fifth person, and second male, to be crowned American Idol during Wednesday’s two-hour season-five finale of Fox’s hit show, which lured 35.4 million total viewers, making it the program’s second-biggest finale ever, writes Media Life. The 2003 standoff between Clay Aiken and winner Ruben Studdard still holds the record at 38 million viewers.
Already in a commanding lead in the May sweeps with a 4.5 among adults 18-49, the Idol finale may have boosted Fox’s 0.8 lead over runner-up CBS by a tenth or two. Idol averaged a 13.8 rating in the 18-49 demo from 8 to 10 p.m. and peaked with a 17.0 rating – 42.9 million viewers – during the 9:30 p.m. half hour.
Fox took the night among households, with a 20.0 rating and a share of 31. ABC followed with 8.6/13, then CBS with 4.7/7, NBC with 4.5/7, Univision with 1.9/3, UPN with 1.3/2 and WB with 1.1/2.
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