The two-hour America’s Next Top Model season premiere on UPN boosted the network to a fourth-place tie with NBC Wednesday night at an average 2.5 rating/6 share in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen Fast Affiliate overnight ratings. Compared to the 1.2/3 UPN earned on Monday and the barely there 0.7/2 on Tuesday, those are good numbers for the network, which will be no more come September (when it merges with The WB to become The CW).
As always, Fox’s American Idol was the top show for the night, earning a 12.3/32 in the 8-9 time slot. The strong Idol lead-in helped Bones win its time slot from 9-10 with a 4.8/12. Fox won for the night with an 8.5/22.
No. 2 for the night was CBS with a 3.7/10 for a double dose of Still Standing (possibly the show’s last two episodes), then Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
Third for the night was ABC. A repeat episode of Lost was its highest-rated program—it earned a 3.4/8 from 9-10, compared with an original episode of Invasion from 10-11, which notched a 2.5/7.
NBC’s Biggest Loser was a loser indeed, only eking out a 1.5/4 in the 8-9 time slot. The only show it beat in the slot was a repeat of One Tree Hill on The WB (0.8/2).
Univision came in sixth for the night with its lineup of soaps and Don Francisco Presenta.
The WB was last with an 0.9/2.
