Tuesday Ratings: Idol Down, Fringe Up

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Drama, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Specials, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, American Idol, Ratings

There’s only one man in our country who could make American Idol fall 25% in one week: Barack Obama. It’s assumed that coverage of the presidential inauguration is responsible for the program’s Week 2 decline. (If it isn’t, the show could be in serious trouble.) Meanwhile, Fringe still managed to benefit from AI’s lower numbers. The freshman series saw its second-largest audience to date.

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• American Idol (22.4 million, 8.9/22 in 18-49) plunged 7.7 million.
• ABC’s Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration (3.7/9) attracted 12.6 million.
• NCIS* (11.7 million, 2.3/6) was down 6.9 million.
• The Biggest Loser: Couples (10.2 million, 3.9/9) piled on 1.3 million more.
• 90210 (2.4 million, 1.1/4) improved by 200,000.

Click to continue reading Tuesday Ratings: Idol Down, Fringe Up

Read More | Variety

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HBO Offers Free Access to Obama’s Opening Ceremony

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Prime Time, Specials, ABC, Cable, HBO, Cable/Satellite, News

UPDATE: You can find a list of performers for that HBO program here.

Although most of us are currently without tickets for Barack Obama‘s big day, those with cable or satellite service will have front row seats to the first major event of Inauguration Week.

On January 18, HBO will exclusively air the festivities from the Lincoln Memorial. The program is expected to be filled with A-list performers including a rumored appearance from Bruce Springsteen. Unlike the channel’s coverage back in 1993 (when Bill Clinton was welcomed into office), the 90-minute event will also be open to non-subscribers.

On Monday the 19th, the Disney Channel will be the sole broadcaster of “Kids’ Inaugural: We Are the Future.” The event honoring military families will be attended by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. Then on Tuesday the 20th, ABC will have exclusive access to “The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration.” That is where the Obamas are expected to perform their first dance of the evening.

Read More | Variety

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