CBS Wins The 2009-2010 Season In Viewers

With three nights remaining, CBS will win the 2009-2010 television season in viewers, it seventh victory in the past eight years, and also place first in adults 25-54 (projected tie with FOX), according to Nielsen most current ratings through Sunday, May 23.

CBS will also place second in adults 18-49 for the second straight year; however, in a sign of the network's demographic strength across the schedule, CBS will finish the season with more time period-winning programs (10) and more top 25 programs (8) than any other network among adults 18-49.

CBS's programming leadership cut across all genres. The Network had the season's #1 drama/scripted program with NCIS; the #1 comedy in TWO AND A HALF MEN; the #1 scripted program in adults 18-49 with THE BIG BANG THEORY; the #1, #2 and #3 new series - UNDERCOVER BOSS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES and THE GOOD WIFE, respectively; and the #1 news magazine, 60 MINUTES.

CBS also dominated the season's rankings in both drama and comedy. The Network has seven of the top 10 dramas: NCIS (#1); THE MENTALIST (#2); CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (#3); NCIS: LOS ANGELES (#4); CRIMINAL MINDS (#6); THE GOOD WIFE (#8) and CSI: MIAMI (#9).

Among comedies, CBS had the top two: TWO AND A HALF MEN (#1 in viewers, #2 in adults 18-49) and THE BIG BANG THEORY (#1 in adults 18-49 and #2 in viewers).

Among other CBS season highlights:

More time period-winning programs than all of the other networks combined in viewers (12) and adults 25-54 (11) and more than any other network in adults 18-49 (10).

Five of the top 10 programs of the season: NCIS (#5); UNDERCOVER BOSS (#6); THE MENTALIST (#7); CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (#8) and NCIS: LOS ANGELES (#9). The Network also had 12 of the top 20.

CBS was #1 in viewers on four nights (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) and #1 in adults 25-54 on four nights (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday) - more than all the other networks combined.

CBS was #1 in viewers and key demographics in the Monday-Friday 10 PM hour leading into affiliates' late local news.

CBS has four of the top 10 programs (UNDERCOVER BOSS, THE MENTALIST, 60 MINUTES and THE BIG BANG THEORY) among adults with household incomes of $125,000 plus - more than any other network.

CBS will win the May sweep in viewers for the eighth consecutive year and ninth in the last 10 years.

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME

SEASON-TO-DATE RATINGS REPORT (09/21/09-05/23/10)

2009-10

HOUSEHOLDS

Rtg Sh

CBS 7.2 12

NBC 5.1 8

ABC 5.4 9

FOX 5.8 9

VIEWERS

(000)

CBS 11,777

NBC 8,244

ABC 8,613

FOX 9,915

A25-54

Rtg Sh

CBS 4.1 10

NBC 3.2 8

ABC 3.2 8

FOX 4.1 10

A18-49

Rtg Sh

CBS 3.2 9

NBC 2.7 7

ABC 2.7 7

FOX 3.6 10

A18-34

Rtg Sh

CBS 2.2 7

NBC 2.2 7

ABC 2.2 7

FOX 3.2 10

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