Nielsen Ratings: College Kids Love "LOST", "Office" and "Ugly Betty"

Broadcast TV networks have feared for years their young viewers were fleeing to other media. Now that Nielsen has begun including college dorm kids in their research, it seems they are watching more TV than the networks had believed.

The big gap in tracking what 18-24 year olds were watching was narrowed at the end of January when Nielsen began including college dorm kids in their sample, adding them to those living at home with parents or on their own.

First comparison of 18-24 ratings charts before and after the change have produced surprising findings - college kids love "Lost", "The Office", "House" and a number of other shows that did much worse among 18-24 year olds before.

ABC's quirky comedy "Ugly Betty", for instance, which originally didn't even make the top-25 list, shot up all the way to the 11th place.

Here are the top-10 choices among 18-24 year olds:

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. American Idol - TUE
3. American Idol - WED
4. House
5. Lost
6. Family Guy
7. Desperate Housewives
8. Heroes
9. The Office
10. The Simpsons

FOX's Monday night thrillers as well as its Sunday night animation line-up are also doing well among the youngsters. The highest rated CBS show was CSI at #20 and ABC's "Men In Trees" and "Brothers & Sisters" are also in the top-25.

Check more RATINGS

This is TELEVISIONISTA