Two-hour "Idol" leads Wednesday ratings

By Paul J. Gough

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - A two-hour competition/fundraiser of "American Idol" was Wednesday's top show in all key measures, putting Fox atop the ratings heap for another night.

"Idol" averaged 26.4 million viewers and a 10 rating/26 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary data released Thursday by Nielsen Media Research.

Nothing else came close. CBS' drama "Jericho" (7.7 million, 2.1/6) was a distant No. 2 at 8 p.m., ahead of ABC's "According to Jim" (5.4 million, 1.8/5) and "Notes From the Underbelly" (4.9 million, 1.9/5), the CW's "America's Next Top Model" (3.8 million, 1.8/5), and a repeat of NBC's "Thank God You're Here" (4.4 million, 1.5/4).

CBS was also No. 2 at 9 p.m. with a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (9.8 million, 2.6/6), followed by an original episode of NBC's "Crossing Jordan" (6.4 million, 1.8/5) and a repeat of ABC's "Lost" (3.8 million, 1.4/3).

At 10 p.m., an original "Lost" (11.6 million, 4.9/13) lost a half-million total viewers from last week. But it was still enough to beat "CSI: NY" (11.2 million, 3.2/9) and NBC's "Medium" (7.1 million, 2.4/6).

Nightly averages: Fox (26.4 million, 10/26); CBS (9.5 million, 2.6/7); ABC (6.9 million, 2.7/7); NBC (6 million, 1.9/5); and the CW (3.3 million, 1.5/4).

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter