CTV Sings and Dances with 2.9 Million Viewers for AMERICAN IDOL and 2.5
Million Viewers for DWTS Finale

- CTV primetime averages 2.5 million viewers from 8-11 p.m. -

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TORONTO, May 26 /CNW/ - CTV took centre stage last night as AMERICAN IDOL and DANCING WITH THE STARS became the No. 1 and No. 2 programs Tuesday in Canada. An average audience of 2.9 million viewers watched Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze battle it out for IDOL votes at 8 p.m. on CTV, up 22% compared to last year's show-down. The episode peaked with 3.7 million viewers as Simon Cowell gave his final critique on the show.

Then, with an incredible reach of 7.5 million viewers, the two-hour live finale of DANCING WITH THE STARS saw an average audience of 2.5 million watch Nicole Scherzinger and partner Derek Hough claim the coveted Mirror Ball trophy. DANCING WITH THE STARS won the 9-10 p.m. hour against GLEE (Global/FOX, 1.9 million) by 29% and was the most-watched program of the night in Toronto with 650,000 viewers.

Primetime on CTV averaged 2.5 million viewers from 8-11 p.m., an advantage of 43% over Global's lineup of NCIS, GLEE and THE GOOD WIFE.

Tomorrow night, Canada's No. 1 summer series SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE returns with a two-hour season premiere at 8 p.m. ET on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times.)

    
    About CTV
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CTV, Canada Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts, entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. Official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad, CTV Inc. is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada's premier multi-media company, which also owns Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. More information about CTV may be found on the network's website at www.ctv.ca.

Source: BBM Canada (audiences prior to Aug. 31/09 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters).

For further information: Jaime Werby, CTV Inc., [phone] or [email protected]; Allie Page, CTV Inc., [phone] or [email protected]