TV ratings: ‘X Factor’ hits low; ‘MSQ’ finale rises; CBS wins

Fox’s “The X Factor” has hit a low note in the ratings.

According to early numbers from Nielsen, Simon Cowell’s singing competition drew a total of just more than six million viewers and generated a rating of 1.9 in the advertiser-desired 18-49-year-old demographic for its lowest results ever.

The key demo rating was down 5% from last Thursday. Fox expects the 18-49 rating to grow 20% to 25% after seven days.

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That comes after the series’ opened last week with low numbers compared with last year.

That said, “The X Factor” still beat the finale of NBC’s “Million Second Quiz,” the game show hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

The “MSQ” telecast drew 5.42 million viewers and rose 27% over last Thursday to a 1.4 rating as 25-year-old Columbia Law School graduate Andrew Kravis won $2.6 million, which is the largest grand prize ever won on a game show, according to NBC.

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NBC’s numbers are likely to change because of local NFL telecasts.

With little competition, CBS was the highest-rated broadcast network Thursday night, with a 1.6 rating and an average audience of 6.72 million for its slate of comedy reruns.

A 9 p.m. encore of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which starts its new season next week, was the highest rated show on the major networks.

ABC’s finale of the slapstick-heavy reality series “Wipeout” was flat with last year at a 1.2. The network was also preempted by NFL coverage.

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