CBS Wins the 2009-2010 Season in Viewers
With the season's top three new programs "Undercover Boss," "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "The Good Wife," CBS is America's most-watched network for the 7th time in 8 years.
Larry O'Donnell in "Undercover Boss" (on right)
May 25, 2010
LOS ANGELES, CA — 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 2009-10
Season-to-Date Ratings Report (09/21/09-05/23/10)
Households
Network - Rating - Share
CBS - 7.2 - 12
FOX - 5.8 - 9
ABC - 5.4 - 9
NBC - 5.1 - 8
Viewers
(000)
CBS - 11,777
FOX - 9,915
ABC - 8,613
NBC - 8,244
Adults 25-54
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 4.1 - 10
CBS - 4.1 - 10
NBC - 3.2 - 8
ABC - 3.2 - 8
Adults 18-49
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 3.6 - 10
CBS - 3.2 - 9
NBC - 2.7 - 7
ABC - 2.7 - 7
Adults 18-34
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 3.2 - 10
CBS - 2.2 - 7
NBC - 2.2 - 7
ABC - 2.2 - 7
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 2009-10
Season-to-Date Ratings Report (09/21/09-05/23/10)
Households
Network - Rating - Share
CBS - 7.2 - 12
FOX - 5.8 - 9
ABC - 5.4 - 9
NBC - 5.1 - 8
Viewers
(000)
CBS - 11,777
FOX - 9,915
ABC - 8,613
NBC - 8,244
Adults 25-54
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 4.1 - 10
CBS - 4.1 - 10
NBC - 3.2 - 8
ABC - 3.2 - 8
Adults 18-49
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 3.6 - 10
CBS - 3.2 - 9
NBC - 2.7 - 7
ABC - 2.7 - 7
Adults 18-34
Network - Rating - Share
FOX - 3.2 - 10
CBS - 2.2 - 7
NBC - 2.2 - 7
ABC - 2.2 - 7