TV Ratings: 'Survivor' Premieres Low, Fox Wins With Even 'American Idol'

9:03 AM PST 2/16/2012 by Michael O'Connell

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As "Idol" echoes Monday's "Voice" showing, "Modern Family," "Chelsea" and "Criminal Minds" are among the series to hit season lows.

American Idol Season 11 February 15 - H 2012

Michael Becker / FOX

Keeping with the week's unofficial theme, many series hit season lows on Wednesday night.

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The trend didn't affect American Idol, though. Down just a tenth of a point from last Wednesday, and likely to adjust up with final numbers, fast affiliate ratings give the series a 6.0 in adults 18-49 and 18.6 million viewers for the night.

Fox's early demo win gives it the same score as Monday's blind auditions episode of The Voice (6.0 in 18-49; 16.3 million) -- though TV viewing levels were down 3 percent from Monday.

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ABC felt that particularly hard, with season lows across the board for its line-up, excluding the modest Thanksgiving eve showings for The Middle and Modern Family. Modern Family (4.7 rating among adults 18-49 ) and Happy Endings (2.5) took the strongest hits against the high-performing 9:00 p.m. hour of Idol, while The Middle (2.5) Suburgatory (2.4) and Revenge (2.4) fell a little less. The net averaged a 2.8 rating and 7.9 million.

Topping ABC was CBS, which netted 2.9 in 18-49-ers and 11.2 million viewers. The night saw the lowest-rated premiere in Survivor's now 24-season history, falling 6 percent from last February's debut to a 3.0 in the demo. Criminal Minds (3.0) was at a season low and CSI received a 8 percent bump for a 2.7.

Whitney, at a five-week high in viewers, was off to a promising start for NBC with a bumped 1.6 rating in adults 18-49. Are You There, Chelsea? (1.4), Rock Center With Brian Williams (0.8) and Law & Order: SVU (1.7) were all down, though -- with the two scripted programs hitting series lows. NBC averaged a 1.3 in the key demo and 4.3 million viewers.

On the CW, One Tree Hill held a 0.7 in adults 18-49, while Remodeled hit a dismal 0.2.

More to come.