Tv Ratings, American Idol | featured news

For years "American Idol" has been known to its competitors by a moniker meant to express its popularity and immense ratings: "The Death Star."

Shani Davis, Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White are the true American Idols. In a startling turnaround from the night before, the Olympics clobbered Fox's "American Idol" in the ratings Wednesday night. The Nielsen Co. said that during the one hour the two shows competed against one another, the Olympics were seen by 30.1 million people while 18.4 million watched "American Idol."

Wednesday night's "American Idol" produced typically dominating results for FOX, but the massive drop to "Human Target" at 9 p.m. probably has to concern the network.

Fox's 'American Idol' easily win night -- A two-hour edition of Fox's "American Idol" easily topped the competition on Tuesday, but the St. Patrick's Day holiday and extra reality competition sacked the hit to its lowest performance-episode delivery in years.

With last week's inaugural festivities depressing ratings for Fox's "American Idol," CBS managed to sneak away with a narrow ratings win for the week ending Jan. 25.

Fox drama "Lie to Me" opened to pretty good numbers on Wednesday, taking advantage of its massive "American Idol" lead-in to finish roughly on par in its hour with ABC's season premiere of "Lost," which remains a ratings force despite erosion.

'Idol' became the most-watched prime-time show of the TV season so far.