The CW Moves 'Top Model' Out of Tough Time Period Was up against Fox's American Idol, CBS' Survivor

The CW's America's Next Top Model

As if anyone needed further proof that Fox's American Idol has been crushing the competition: The CW has decided to shift America's Next Top Model from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning April 20.

The scheduling change moves The CW's aging reality series out of a tough time period, which also includes CBS's Survivor and NBC's Minute to Win It. Beginning April 6, Idol's two-hour performance shows on Wednesday will be cut down to 90 minutes, at which time the Christian Slater comedy Breaking In premieres at 9:30 p.m. So, theoretically, Top Model's second half-hour could tick up in the ratings, if viewers abandon Fox's Slater comedy about a wacky high-tech security firm. But that's theoretical, at best.

Now in its 16th cycle, Top Model's Feb. 23 premiere drew 2.25 million viewers and a 1.8 rating among women 18-34, which was down about 14 percent in the demo versus the show's fall cycle. 

With the scheduling maneuver, repeats of Top Model will air in the 8 p.m. time slot. The change goes into effect a week after the season finale of The CW's only midseason series Shedding for the Wedding, which premiered Feb. 23, and which has followed Top Model throughout its run.