CBS PLACES A SOLID SECOND IN VIEWERS, ADULTS 18-49 AND ADULTS 25-54

"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

It's a "CSI" Hat Trick -- "CSI," "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: NY" All Win Their Time Periods in Viewers and Key Demographics

"Numb3rs" Is Friday's Number One Program in Viewers and Adults 25-54

"Criminal Minds" Wins Its Time Period in Viewers and Adults 25-54 with Its Largest Audience Since November

"NCIS" Delivers Its Largest Audience and Highest Adult 18-49 Rating Since January

"Without a Trace" Tops the Combined Competition in Viewers and Demos

CBS placed a solid second in viewers and key demographics, highlighted by the premiere of THE UNIT, the season's most watched premiere of any new scripted show on any network, according to Nielsen ratings for the week ending March 12, week 25 of the 2005-2006 television season.

For the week in viewers, CBS (12.61m) trailed FOX (13.47m) and was ahead of ABC (9.12m) and NBC (8.29m). Season-to-date, CBS (12.69m) leads, followed by ABC (11.51m), NBC (10.02m) and FOX (9.60m).

For the week in households, CBS (8.1/13) was tied with FOX and +37% ahead of ABC (5.9/10) and +47% ahead of NBC (5.5/09). Season-to-date, CBS is first in households (8.2/13), outpacing ABC by +12% (7.3/12), NBC by +26% (6.5/10) and FOX by +39% (5.9/09).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was second in adults 25-54 (4.9/12) and adults 18-49 (3.8/10). Compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +1% in viewers, +7% in adults 25-54 and +3% in adults 18-49. Season-to-date, CBS is tied for first in adults 25-54 (4.9/12, with ABC) and tied for second in adults 18-49 (3.9/10, with FOX).

� THE UNIT (P) was second in households (11.6/17), viewers (18.50m), adults 25-54 (7.0/15) and adults 18-49 (5.1/12). This is CBS's best delivery in the time period in households with a regularly scheduled program since 5/18/99 (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "Joan of Arc"), best viewer performance 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 Number Two new drama on any network in both adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

� CSI: MIAMI won its time period in households (12.3/20), viewers (18.61m), adults 25-54 (7.4/17) and adults 18-49 (6.1/15). CSI: MIAMI is the night's top program in households, viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 for the second consecutive week.

� CSI: NY was first in households (9.1/15), viewers (13.91m), adults 25-54 (5.7/14), adults 18-49 (4.6/12) and adults 18-34 (3.1/09).

� CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was first in households (16.6/25), viewers (27.16m), adults 25-54 (11.2/25), adults 18-49 (8.8/22) and adults 18-34 (5.9/16). CSI, for the second consecutive week, delivered more viewers and a better household rating than "American Idol" (15.4/24, 26.63m viewers).

� TWO AND A HALF MEN won its time period in households (10.9/16), viewers (17.06m), adults 25-54 (7.0/15) and second in adults 18-49 (5.7/13, -0.1 behind FOX). This is TWO AND A HALF MEN's best delivery in viewers and adults 18-49 since 1/23/06, best households performance since 12/19/05.

� COURTING ALEX was first in households (8.9/13), second in viewers (13.77m), adults 25-54 (5.6/12) and adults 18-49 (4.5/10). This is COURTING ALEX's best delivery in households, since 1/23/06, the program's premiere.

� NCIS was second 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 households and viewer delivery since 1/17/06 and best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 performance since 1/24/06.

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

� CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (9.6/14), viewers (15.27m), adults 25-54 (6.0/13) and second in adults 18-49 (4.6/11, -0.1 behind FOX). At 9:30PM, CRIMINAL MINDS easily topped FOX's "Bones" in adults 18-49 (4.8/12 vs. 4.1/10). This is CRIMINAL MINDS's best first run delivery in viewers since November 30, 2005 and best delivery in both adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 since December 19, 2005.

� WITHOUT A TRACE was first in households (13.2/22), viewers (20.28m), adults 25-54 (8.2/21), adults 18-49 (6.5/18) and adults 18-34 (4.4/14). WITHOUT A TRACE beat the competition combined in households (vs. 10.0/17, +32%), viewers (vs. 14.03m, +45%), adults 25-54 (vs. 6.3/16, +30%), adults 18-49 (vs. 5.4/15, +20%) and adults 18-34 (vs. 4.3/14, +2%).

� GHOST WHISPERER was first in households (6.7/12), viewers (10.34m), adults 25-54 (4.1/12) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/10).

� CLOSE TO HOME was first in households (6.5/11), viewers (9.88m) and second in adults 25-54 (3.6/09, -0.1 behind NBC).

� NUMB3RS was first in households (7.7/13), viewers (11.67m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (3.1/09). NUMB3RS was first for the 21st time this season in viewers and adults 25-54, 20th time in households and 17th time in adults 18-49. Compared to "Conviction", NUMB3RS had a +48% advantage in households (vs. 5.2/09), +51% in viewers (vs. 7.74m), +42% advantage in adults 25-54 (vs. 3.1/08) and +24% advantage in adults 18-49 (vs. 2.5/07).

� COLD CASE was first in households (9.6/15), second in viewers (15.05m) and adults 25-54 (5.0/11).

CBS top programs of the week: #3 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (an average of 27.16m viewers), #8 WITHOUT A TRACE (20.28m), #9 CSI: MIAMI (18.61m), #10 THE UNIT (P) (18.50m), #11 NCIS (17.21m), #12 TWO AND A HALF MEN (17.06m), #14 CRIMINAL MINDS (15.27m), #15 SURVIVOR: PANAMA � EXILE ISLAND (15.20m), #16 COLD CASE (15.05m), #19 CSI: NY (13.91m), #20 COURTING ALEX (13.77m), #24 60 MINUTES (11.80m), #26 NUMB3RS (11.67m) and #30 THE KING OF QUEENS (10.48m).