‘Idol’ brings in more viewers than Grammys
Here’s some humbling news for professional singers: By a wide margin, TV viewers prefer the amateurs.
Nearly twice as many people watched “American Idol” than the Grammy Awards on Wednesday night when the two music programs went head-to-head in prime time, according to preliminary estimates by Nielsen Media Research.
The “Idol” audience on Fox was 28.3 million while the Grammy Awards were being watched by 15.1 million people from 8 to 9 p.m., Nielsen said.
After “Idol” went off the air, the Grammys picked up a little steam. From 8 to 11 p.m. overall, it averaged 17.6 million viewers. The final viewership figure for the Grammys, which lasted until 11:30 p.m., was not immediately available.
The least-watched Grammy telecast since Nielsen began keeping records was the 17.2 million who watched in 1995. Last year’s show was seen by 18.8 million people, with 26.3 million viewers in 2004.
The music pros can take a little comfort in at least slowing the “American Idol” momentum. It was the first time in seven telecasts this season that “Idol” was seen by fewer than 30 million people.
Go West, old Emmy
The Daytime Emmy Awards are headed to Hollywood, with Ellen DeGeneres and “The Young and the Restless” leading the way.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is taking the traditional New York ceremony west, to be televised April 28 on ABC from the Kodak Theatre.
DeGeneres, who won for best talk show the past two years and best talk show host last year, is nominated again in both categories.
CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” earned a leading 18 Daytime Emmy nominations, including best soap opera – even though no one in its cast was nominated in the lead acting categories.
“General Hospital,” which has won eight Daytime Emmys as best soap opera, was nominated again. It will vie with “The Young and the Restless,” “Guiding Light” and “As the World Turns.”
Nominees for lead actor in a daytime drama are Maurice Benard and Anthony Geary of “General Hospital,” Robert Newman and Ron Raines of “Guiding Light” and Thorsten Kaye of “All My Children.”
Two other “Guiding Light” cast members – Beth Ehlers and Kim Zimmer – earned best actress nominations. They’ll compete against Bobbie Eakes of “All My Children,” Susan Flannery of “The Bold and the Beautiful” and Kelly Monaco of “General Hospital.”