CBS Closes Out First Half of Season With Ratings Sweep

CBS closed out the first half of the season with its largest margin of victory in viewers and adults 25-54 and won in adults 18-49 for the fifth time in seven weeks, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Dec. 18. The Network also registered year-to-year growth in viewers and key demographics compared to the same week last year.

CBS topped second place NBC by more than five million viewers (11.37m vs. 6.21m) and by +1.3 rating points in adults 25-54 (3.8/09 vs. 2.5/06). CBS was also first in adults 18-49 (2.8/08) for the fifth time in seven weeks.

Season-to-date, CBS remains first in viewers (12.56m, +2% from last year), adults 18-49 (3.3/09, tie +3%) and adults 25-54 (4.3/11, +2%).

CBS had nine of the top 10 programs of the week in viewers (NCIS, #1; 60 MINUTES, #2; NCIS: LOS ANGELES, #4; TWO AND A HALF MEN, #5; THE MENTALIST, #6, SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC FINALE, #7, PERSON OF INTEREST, #8; CRIMINAL MINDS, #9; and MIKE & MOLLY, #10).

CBS also has seven of the top 10 in adults 18-49 (TWO AND A HALF MEN, #2, 2 BROKE GIRLS, #4, 60 MINUTES, #5 tie, SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC FINALE, #5 tie; MIKE & MOLLY, #5 tie; NCIS, #8 and CRIMINAL MINDS, #10 tie).

The Network was first in viewers on six nights (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday) and first in adults 18-49 on four nights (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).

For the week in viewers: CBS (11.37m), NBC (6.21m), FOX (5.60m) and ABC (4.99m). Season-to-date: CBS (12.56m), ABC (9.25m), FOX (9.06m) and NBC (7.37m).

For the week in households: CBS (6.9/11), NBC (3.9/06), FOX (3.3/05) and ABC (3.2/05). Season-to-date: CBS (7.8/13), ABC (5.9/10), FOX (5.4/09) and NBC (4.7/08).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in both adults 25-54 (3.8/09) and adults 18-49 (2.8/08). Compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +3% in both households and adults 25-54, +2% in viewers and +4% in adults 18-49. Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and tied with FOX for first in adults 18-49 (3.3/09, each). Season-to-date, CBS is up +4% in households, +2% in both viewers and adults 25-54 and +3% in adults 18-49.

CBS Weekly Highlights:

-- On Monday, CBS was first in households (7.5/12), viewers (12.13m), adults 25-54 (4.7/11), adults 18-49 (3.6/09) and tied for first in adults 18-34 (2.1/06, with NBC). CBS won every Monday this season in adults 25-54, adults 18-49, 12 of 13 weeks in adults 18-34 and finished first in households and viewers for the third straight Monday.

2 BROKE GIRLS (8:00-8:30 PM) was first in households (7.6/12), viewers (12.50m), adults 25-54 (5.3/13), adults 18-49 (4.2/11) and adults 18-34 (2.8/09).

2 BROKE GIRLS SPECIAL (R) (S) (8:30-9:00 PM) was first in households (6.3/09), viewers (10.19m), adults 25-54 (4.2/10), second in both adults 18-49 (3.3/08) and adults 18-34 (2.1/06).

TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in households (9.2/14), viewers (14.88m), adults 25-54 (6.1/13) and adults 18-49 (4.7/11).

MIKE & MOLLY was first in households (7.9/12), viewers (12.77m), adults 25-54 (5.3/11) and adults 18-49 (4.0/09).

HAWAII FIVE-0 was first in households (7.0/11), viewers (11.17m), adults 25-54 (3.7/09), adults 18-49 (2.8/07) and adults 18-34 (1.5/04). HAWAII FIVE-0 beat NBC and ABC combined in viewers (vs. 8.14m, +37%), adults 25-54 (vs. 2.7/06, +37%), adults 18-49 (vs. 2.0/07, +40%) and adults 18-34 (vs. 1.3/02, +15%).

-- On Tuesday, CBS was first in households (9.8/15), viewers (15.61m), adults 25-54 (4.2/10) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (2.9/08, with FOX). CBS won its 12th Tuesday in 13 weeks in viewers, third consecutive week in adults 25-54 and second time in three weeks in adults 18-49.

NCIS was first in households (11.9/19), viewers (19.13m), adults 25-54 (5.1/13) and adults 18-49 (3.6/10). Compared to the last first-run episode (on Nov. 22, 2011), NCIS was up +5% in households (from 11.3/18), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.5/10), even in adults 25-54 and added +630,000 viewers (from 18.50m, +3%).

NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in households (10.2/15), viewers (16.40m), adults 25-54 (4.4/10) and adults 18-49 (3.0/08). Compared to the last first-run episode (on Nov. 22, 2011), NCIS: LOS ANGELES was up +19% in households (from 8.6/13), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/10), even in adults 18-49 and added +2.30m viewers (from 14.10m, +16%). NCIS: LOS ANGELES posted its largest audience since its season premiere (Sept. 20, 2011).

UNFORGETTABLE was first in households (7.2/12), viewers (11.30m), second in both adults 25-54 (3.1/08) and adults 18-49 (2.2/06). Compared to the last first-run episode (on Nov. 22, 2011), UNFORGETTABLE was up +9% in households (from 6.6/11), even in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 and added +880,000 viewers (from 10.42m, +8%).

-- On Wednesday, CBS was first in households (7.3/12), viewers (11.99m), adults 25-54 (4.2/10) and adults 18-49 (3.2/08).

SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC was first in households (6.5/10), viewers (10.87m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/09, -0.1 behind FOX).

CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (7.8/12), viewers (12.88m), adults 25-54 (4.4/10) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09). Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +1% in households (from 7.7/12), even in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 and added +470,000 viewers (from 12.41m, +4%).

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was first in households (7.6/12), viewers (12.23m), adults 25-54 (3.9/10) and adults 18-49 (2.9/08). CSI posted its best households rating and largest audience delivery since Sept. 21, 2011 (season premiere), best adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 ratings since Oct. 5, 2011.

-- On Thursday, CBS was first in households (7.4/12), viewers (11.99m), adults 25-54 (3.9/10) and adults 18-49 (2.8/08). CBS swept Thursday for the fourth time in five weeks and was first every night this week through Thursday in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

THE BIG BANG THEORY (R) was first in households (6.4/11), viewers (10.17m), adults 25-54 (3.9/11) and adults 18-49 (2.9/09).

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT was second in households (5.9/09), viewers (9.53m), adults 25-54 (3.7/09) and adults 18-49 (2.7/08).

PERSON OF INTEREST was first in households (8.0/13), viewers (12.93m), adults 25-54 (3.9/09) and adults 18-49 (2.8/08). PERSON OF INTEREST posted its largest audience and best household rating since the series premiere.

THE MENTALIST was first in households (8.1/14), viewers (13.16m), adults 25-54 (3.8/09) and adults 18-49 (2.7/07). THE MENTALIST posted its largest audience and best adults 25-54 ratings since Nov. 3, 2011. Compared to last week, THE MENTALIST was up +3% in adults 25-54 (from 3.7/09), even in adults 18-49 and added +120,000 viewers (from 13.04m, +1%).

On Sunday, CBS was first in households (9.6/15), viewers (16.58m), adults 25-54 (6.1/14) and second in adults 18-49 (4.7/12).

-- CBS's late-running football from 7:00-7:34 PM posted a 17.5/30 with 29.79m viewers, 11.1/29 in adults 25-54 and 9.4/28 in adults 18-49.

60 MINUTES (7:34-8:34 PM) was first in households (11.2/18), viewers (18.47m), adults 25-54 (5.5/13) and adults 18-49 (4.0/12). 60 MINUTES posted the season's second-best performances in these measures (all behind the Oct. 30, 2011 broadcast).

SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC FINALE (S) (8:34-10:43 PM) was second in households (7.3/11), viewers (13.07m), adults 25-54 (5.3/12) and adults 18-49 (4.0/10). Compared to the spring finale of SURVIVOR: REDEMPTION ISLAND (on May 15, 2011), SURVIVOR was up +3% in households (from 7.1/11) and even in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC REUNION SHOW (S) (10:43-11:33 PM) posted a 5.8/11 with 9.92m viewers, 4.2/10 in adults 25-54 and 3.1/09 in adults 18-49.

CBS top programs of the week: #1 NCIS (an average of 19.13m viewers), #2 60 MINUTES (18.47m), #4 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (16.40m), #5 TWO AND A HALF MEN (14.88m), #6 THE MENTALIST (13.16m), #7 SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC FINALE (S) (13.07m), #8 PERSON OF INTEREST (12.93m), #9 CRIMINAL MINDS (12.88m), #10 MIKE & MOLLY (12.77m), #11 2 BROKE GIRLS (12.50m), #12 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (12.23m), #14 UNFORGETTABLE (11.30m), #15 HAWAII FIVE-0 (11.17m), #16 SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC (10.87m), #18 2 BROKE GIRLS 8:30 PM SPECIAL (R) (S) (10.19m), #19 THE BIG BANG THEORY (R) (10.17m), #20 SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC REUNION SHOW (S) (9.92m) and #22 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (9.53m).

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