‘Idol’ helps Fox win ratings war

The final numbers are in, and the official victory belongs to Fox Broadcasting.

For the first time in its 19-year history, the network was No. 1 for the September-to-May TV season among viewers ages 18 to 49, the category most sought by advertisers.

Much of the credit belongs to “American Idol,” the smash talent contest that ended Wednesday with country singer Carrie Underwood crowned the winner, but Fox’s new medical drama “House” also turned into a major hit.

“Idol’s” two-hour finale drew 29.4 million viewers, up 2% from last year’s finale. Meanwhile on ABC, “Lost,” which went head to head with “Idol,” drew 20.7 million viewers.

The network was also boosted by its broadcasts of the Super Bowl and the World Series.

According to figures released Thursday by Nielsen Media Research, Fox led the 18-to-49 demographic with an average 4.1 rating/11 share, followed by CBS 4.0/11, ABC 3.7/10 and NBC 3.5/9.

Each rating point represents approximately 1.3 million young adults; the share figure represents the percentage of young adults watching TV who are tuned to that network.

Among total viewers, CBS led with an average of 12.9 million, trailed by ABC with 10.1 million, Fox with 10 million and NBC with 9.8 million.