Mid-Season: By the Numbers

So we've come to the mid-point of the TV season and here's how things are stacking up for the networks:

Through January 11, the season-to-date numbers show CBS averaging 10.98 million viewers,
ABC 8.78, FOX 7.91, NBC 7.64.

The annual arrival of 24 and AMERICAN IDOL are once again changing the map. How so? The week ending January 4th showed FOX in 4th place behind NBC with 7.43 million viewers.

In the 18-49 demographic, FOX should pass CBS this week to take over the lead. CBS held a slim 70,000 viewer lead as of 1/11. That was well before FOX scored with a roundhouse punch with their new Monday night lineup of HOUSE and 24. The new tandem dethroned CBS' strong Monday night lineup for the first time in months.

In terms of total viewers, FOX will have to draw about 2.5 million viewers more than CBS each week to catch up by the end of the season.

The week of 1/11, FOX outpulled CBS by 2.43 million viewers, so it could easily go down to the wire.

We'll have a much clearer picture next week once the new Monday lineups are factored in and we see how the IDOL crowd sticks around for FRINGE and LIE TO ME - and how well BONES performs on Thursday.

Meanwhile, more kudos to the programming geniuses at NBC who managed to come in SIXTH in Adults 18-34 this past Monday.

SIXTH.

Behind the CW.

Behind UNIVISION.

But hey, as long as they're making money, right?