Fox’s “American Idol” hit an all-time ratings low in the key demo on Thursday and had its smallest audience since 2002, the reality competition’s debut season.
“Idol” dropped 20 percent week-to-week. “Rake,” the new drama that follows the singing show on Fox, also dipped to a low to-date. NBC’s Sochi Olympics coverage dropped on Thursday as well.
NBC was first in ratings with a 4.9 rating/14 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and first in viewers with an average of 19.9 million, according to preliminary numbers. The Sochi Olympics coverage was the only telecast on its schedule.
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Fox and Univision tied for second in ratings, each with a 1.7/5. Fox was third in viewers with 6.6 million. Univision was fourth with 4.3 million.
For Fox, “Idol” at 8 p.m. dropped to a 2.4/7 — its lowest rating for a regular episode ever — and had 9.2 million viewers. “Rake” at 9 got a 1.0/3 and 4 million viewers.
CBS was fourth in ratings with a 1.6/5 and second in viewers with 6.6 million, airing entirely reruns.
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ABC was fifth in ratings with a 0.8/2 and in total viewers with 3 million. “The Taste” at 8 got a 0.9/3 — tying a low — and 3.2 million viewers. A repeat followed.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and 969,000 viewers.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in total viewers with 815,000.