CBS'S "CRIMINAL MINDS" TOPS "LOST" IN HOUSEHOLDS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK AND ALSO BEATS THE ABC SERIES IN VIEWERS FROM 9:30-10:00 PM FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

"Jericho" Posts Week-to-Week Increases in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

"CSI: NY" Is Up Versus Last Week in Viewers and Key Demos and Tops ABC and NBC Combined in Viewers

CBS's CRIMINAL MINDS beat "Lost" in households for the third consecutive week and in viewers from 9:30-10:00 PM, also for the third straight head-to-head broadcast, while JERICHO and CSI: NY both posted week-to-week gains in key demographics, according to preliminary Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Wednesday, Oct. 25.

CRIMINAL MINDS was first at 9:00 PM in households (10.8/16), second in viewers (16.59m), adults 25-54 (6.1/14) and adults 18-49 (4.4/11). From 9:30-10:00PM, "Criminal Minds" beat lost in viewers (17.58m vs. 16.65m, +6%).

If the ratings hold, this is the second most watched Wednesday episode of CRIMINAL MINDS, -140,000 viewers behind the 10/11/06 broadcast.

At 8:00 PM, JERICHO was second in households (6.8/11), viewers (10.54m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). Compared to last week, JERICHO is up +5% in adults 25-54 (from 4.2/11) and +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.1/09).

At 10PM, CSI: NY was first in households (10.9/18), viewers (17.06m), adults 25-54 (6.8/17), adults 18-49 (5.4/14) and adults 18-34 (3.8/12). Compared to last week, CSI: NY is up +4% in both households (from 10.5/17) and adults 18-49 (from 5.2/14), +8% in adults 25-54 (from 6.3/15) and +6% in adults 18-34 (from 3.6/11) while adding +1.07m (from 15.99m, +7%). CSI: NY beat NBC's "Dateline" (8.66m) and ABC's "The Nine" (8.02m) combined by +6%.

For the night, CBS was tied for first in adults 25-54 (5.8/14, with ABC), second in households (9.5/15, -0.1 behind ABC), viewers (14.73m, -160,000 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (4.3/11).

Final Wednesday ratings will be available this afternoon.

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

CBS'S "CRIMINAL MINDS" DRAWS ITS LARGEST REGUARLY SCHEDULED AUDIENCE TO DATE

"CRIMINAL MINDS" TOPS "LOST" IN HOUSEHOLDS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK AND ALSO BEATS THE ABC SERIES IN VIEWERS FROM 9:30-10:00 PM FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

"Jericho" Posts Week-to-Week Increases in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

"CSI: NY" Is Up Versus Last Week in Viewers and Key Demos and Tops ABC and NBC Combined in Viewers

CBS's CRIMINAL MINDS posted its largest regularly scheduled audience ever as it beat "Lost" in households for the third consecutive week and in viewers from 9:30-10:00 PM, also for the third straight head-to-head broadcast, while JERICHO and CSI: NY both posted week-to-week gains in key demographics, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Wednesday, Oct. 25.

CRIMINAL MINDS was first at 9:00 PM in households (11.0/16), second in viewers (16.77m), adults 25-54 (6.2/14) and adults 18-49 (4.4/11). From 9:30-10:00PM, CRIMINAL MINDS beat lost in viewers (17.77m vs. 16.86m, +5%).

This is the most watched Wednesday episode of CRIMINAL MINDS to date and matches the second best adults 25-54 delivery. The only episode to deliver more viewers was the special series preview broadcast during premiere week 2005 on a Thursday following the sixth season premiere of CSI (19.57m).

At 8:00 PM, JERICHO was second in households (6.8/11), viewers (10.56m), adults 25-54 (4.5/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). Compared to last week, JERICHO is up +7% in adults 25-54 (from 4.2/11) and +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.1/09).

At 10PM, CSI: NY was first in households (11.1/18), viewers (17.42m), adults 25-54 (7.0/17), adults 18-49 (5.6/15) and adults 18-34 (3.9/12). Compared to last week, CSI: NY is up +6% in households (from 10.5/17), +11% in adults 25-54 (from 6.3/15), +8% in both adults 18-49 (from 5.2/14) and adults 18-34 (from 3.6/11) while adding +1.43m (from 15.99m, +9%). CSI: NY beat NBC's "Dateline" (8.88m) and ABC's "The Nine" (7.77m) combined by +5%.

For the night, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (5.9/14), tied for first in households (9.6/15, with ABC), second in viewers (14.92m, -90,000 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (4.4/11).