TV ratings: ‘Empire’ rises again

Another week, another win for the Lyon family (and Fox).

The network’s hit freshman show “Empire” topped Wednesday night ratings again, posting growth in both the key demo and overall viewership for the eighth week in a row.

It posted a rating of 5.7 in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic, up 6% from last week’s episode, according to Nielsen ratings. It was up 2% in total viewership, with about 14.2-million people tuning in.

Created by Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels and Emmy Award-winner Danny Strong, the show follows music tycoon Luscious Lyon (Terrence Howard). After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Luscious has to decide how to divvy up his business among his three sons: Jamal (Jussie Smollett), Andre (Trai Byers) and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray).

The musical show has climbed 50% in viewers since its premiere. The network reported that the premiere episode generates roughly 100,000 views per day on VOD, FOX NOW and Hulu.

The network also aired “American Idol,” which fell 19% in the key demo from last Wednesday’s episode. The singing competition tied for seventh with a rating of 2.1 in the key demo. It was seventh-most-watched overall with 8.75 million-viewers.

Fox was No. 1 with a rating of 3.9 in the key demo and 11.5-million viewers.

ABC was second in the key demo with a rating of 2.2. However, it was fourth-most-viewed overall with 7.2-million viewers.

“Modern Family” was the most-watched program on the network and rounded out the top five overall with 9.6-million viewers. The sitcom stayed even with last week in the key demo, coming in second with a rating of 3.4.

“The Goldbergs” stayed even and took third in the key demo with a rating of 2.5. “Black-ish” followed with a rating of 2.3 in the key demo, tying for fourth with CBS’ “Survivor.”

CBS jumped to second-most-watched network of the night, averaging 10.2-million viewers.

Its most-viewed program was “Criminal Minds,” which came in second to “Empire” with 10.4-million viewers.

The premiere of “CSI: Cyber” rounded out the top 10 in the key demo with a rating of 1.8. With help from “Criminal Minds” as lead-in, the show averaged a solid 10.3-million viewers.

The network was third in the key demo with a rating of 2.0.

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