Idol barely maintains winning streak against rampaging Dancing
03/30/10 02:00 PM
By ED BARK
ABC's Dancing with the Stars came within a high heel of being the first series to best both weekly editions of American Idol since the Fox juggernaut's formative first season.
Dancing's March 22nd 10th edition opener had 24.185 million viewers nationally, with Idol's March 23rd performance teetering atop the Nielsen prime-time charts with 24.211 million viewers. Last Wednesday's Idol results edition ran an unaccustomed third with 21.437 million viewers.
Both Idol outings easily bested Dancing among advertiser-favored 18-to-49-year-olds. That's where the real money is made, but perception counts as well. And Idol's overall lackluster field this season may yet give Dancing a weekly crown in America at large.
Monday's second two-hour Dancing episode rang up 22.6 million viewers in the "fast national" Nielsens. That's currently the number for at least one edition of Idol to beat.
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