TV ratings: ‘Big Brother’ steady, ‘America’s Got Talent’ wins night

“Big Brother,” the CBS reality program on which the contestants seem to get more offensive by the week, held steady in ratings Wednesday as NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” won the night.

“Big Brother’s” rating in the key 18-49 demographic was the same as last week’s, 2.1, and the show drew an average viewership of 6.1 million, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen.

Contestant Spencer Clawson is now the show’s biggest lightning rod after jokes he made about watching child pornography were captured on the show’s Internet live feed from Monday.

Aaryn Gries, another contestant, previously had offended viewers by making racist and homophobic remarks about house residents. CBS Corp. Chief Executive Les Moonves has weighed in, saying he was appalled at the behavior of some houseguests.

ON LOCATION: Where the cameras roll

Because of an ongoing dispute, CBS hasn’t been carried by Time Warner Cable for nearly a week in several markets, including Los Angeles and New York. The company says the blackout, which affects about 3.2 million customers, has had an estimated 1% impact on ratings.

“America’s Got Talent” rose 4% to a 2.5 rating in the adults 18-49 category and hooked an average 10 million viewers, making it the highest-rated and most-watched show Wednesday night.

Fox’s “MasterChef” had the second-highest rating of the night, with a 2.2 in the 18-49 grouping.

Australian import “Camp” on NBC rose 9% in the 18-49 slot to a 1.2. A ratings point equals roughly 1.3 million viewers.

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ryan.faughnder@latimes.com