or


[03/08/06 - 12:00 AM]
Nothing Covert About "The Unit" Premiere
[via press release from CBS]

NOTHING COVERT ABOUT "THE UNIT" PREMIERE

"The Unit's" 18.2 Million Viewers Makes it the Most Watched Time Period Premiere of Any New Scripted Show on Any Network This Season and the Second Highest Rated Drama Premiere in Adults 18-49

"The Unit" Delivers CBS's Best Performance in the Time Period Since May 1999

"The Unit" Builds On Its Huge "NCIS" Lead-In By Double Digit Percentages in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

"The Amazing Race 9" Wins Its New Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS's premiere of THE UNIT, the new drama about a covert military team and the wives that protect their identity, delivered 18.19 million viewers making it the most watched time period premiere of any new scripted show on any network this season and the second highest rated drama premiere in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings for Tuesday, March 7.

At 9:00PM, THE UNIT premiered with an 11.4/17 and 18.19m viewers, 5.1/12 in adults 18-49 and 7.0/15 in adults 25-54. This is CBS's best delivery in the time period in households and viewers with a regularly scheduled program since 5/18/99 (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "Joan of Arc") and best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 delivery since 5/10/05 ("The Amazing Race 7" finale).

THE UNIT built on its NCIS lead by +4% in households, +5% in viewers, +34% in adults 18-49 and +25% in adults 25-54. THE UNIT grew in its second half-hour by +3% in households (11.6/18 from 11.3/17), +4% in viewers (18.53m from 17.84m), +10% in adults 18-49 (5.3/13 from 4.8/12) and +7% in adults 25-54 (7.2/16 from 6.7/15).

At 8:00 PM, NCIS was a strong second (to "American Idol") in households (11.0/17), viewers (17.28m), adults 25-54 (5.6/13) and adults 18-49 (3.8/10). This is NCIS's best delivery in households and viewers since 1/17/06 and best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 delivery since 1/24/06.

THE AMAZING RACE 9 (6.1/10, 9.37m) won its time period in adults 18-49 (3.7/10) and tied for first in adults 25-54 (4.6/11).

For the night, CBS was a strong second in households (9.5/15), viewers (14.94m), adults 25-54 (5.7/13) and adults 18-49 (4.2/11).

Final Tuesday ratings will be available this afternoon.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]

NOTHING COVERT ABOUT "THE UNIT" PREMIERE

"The Unit's" 18.5 Million Viewers Makes it the Most Watched Premiere of Any New Scripted Show on Any Network This Season and the Second Highest Rated Drama Premiere in Adults 18-49

"The Unit" Delivers CBS's Best Performance in the Time Period Since May 1997

"The Unit" Builds On Its Huge "NCIS" Lead-In By Double Digit Percentages in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS To Present an Encore Presentation of "The Unit" Premiere on Saturday, March 11, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT

"The Amazing Race 9" Wins Its New Time Period in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS's premiere of THE UNIT, the new drama about a covert military team and the wives who protect their identity, delivered 18.50 million viewers making it the most watched premiere of any new scripted show on any network this season and the second highest rated drama premiere in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, according to Live Plus Same Day National Nielsen ratings for Tuesday, March 7.

At 9:00PM, THE UNIT premiered with an 11.6/17 and 18.50m viewers, 5.1/12 in adults 18-49 and 7.0/15 in adults 25-54. This is CBS's best delivery in the time period in viewers with a regularly scheduled program since 5/13/97 (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "The Last Don") and the best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 delivery since 5/10/05 ("The Amazing Race 7" finale).

THE UNIT premiered with the highest household rating for a new series on any network this season, the best viewer delivery for a scripted program on any network and is the #2 new drama on any network in both adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

THE UNIT built on its NCIS lead by +6% in households, +8% in viewers, +34% in adults 18-49 and +27% in adults 25-54. THE UNIT grew in its second half-hour by +4% in both households (11.8/18 from 11.4/17) and viewers (18.86m from 18.15m), +10% in adults 18-49 (5.3/13 from 4.8/12) and +6% in adults 25-54 (7.2/16 from 6.8/15).

CBS will present an encore broadcast of THE UNIT premiere on Saturday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

At 8:00 PM, NCIS was a strong second (to "American Idol") in households (10.9/17), viewers (17.21m), adults 25-54 (5.5/13) and adults 18-49 (3.8/10). This is NCIS's best delivery in households and viewers since 1/17/06 and best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 delivery since 1/24/06.

THE AMAZING RACE 9 (6.1/10, 9.46m) won its time period in adults 18-49 (3.8/10) and adults 25-54 (4.7/12).

For the night, CBS was a strong second in households (9.5/15), viewers (15.06m), adults 25-54 (5.7/13) and adults 18-49 (4.2/11). This is CBS's best Tuesday delivery this season with regularly-scheduled programming in both viewers and adults 25-54, the best delivery in adult 18-49 since 12/13/05, the night of THE AMAZING RACE 8 finale.





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· AMAZING RACE, THE (CBS)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· NCIS (CBS)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)




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