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[01/13/09 - 11:35 AM]
The Mentalist Delivers Its Largest Audience Ever
CBS spins the numbers for the week of January 5-11.

[via press release from CBS]

"THE MENTALIST" DELIVERS ITS LARGEST AUDIENCE EVER

"The People's Choice Awards" Posts Double Digit Percentage Gains Versus Last Year

"Flashpoint" Premieres With a Win in All Key Measures Delivering the Time Period's Largest Audience Since May 2007

CBS Wins Sunday as AFC Divisional Playoff Runover Averages 35 Million Viewers

In an atypical week with primetime football airing three nights on the competition, CBS placed second in viewers and key demographics led by record ratings for THE MENTALIST, the premiere of FLASHPOINT and a strong performance by THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Jan. 11, week 16 of the 2008-2009 television season.

For the week in viewers: CBS (11.74m), FOX (14.17m), NBC (8.26m) and ABC (7.80m). Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (11.58m), ahead of ABC (9.22m), FOX (8.25m) and NBC (8.06m).

For the week in households: CBS (7.3/12), FOX (8.4/13),NBC (5.2/08) and ABC (5.0/08). Season-to-date, CBS is first (7.2/12), ahead of ABC (5.8/09) and both NBC and FOX (5.0/08, each).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was second in both adults 25-54 (4.1/10) and adults 18-49 (3.1/08). Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (4.1/10) and adults 18-49 (3.1/08).

CBS's Weekly Highlights:

-- CBS won Tuesday in households (10.8/17), viewers (17.32m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12) and was second in adults 18-49 (3.5/09). This was the sixth straight Tuesday win for CBS in households and viewers, 13th win this season in both measures. CBS won five of the last six Tuesdays in adults 25-54.

? NCIS was first in households (11.6/18), viewers (19.10m), adults 25-54 (5.6/13) and second in adults 18-49 (3.8/10, -0.2 behind NBC). This is the second largest audience ever for a first-run NCIS episode, just behind the Dec.16, 2008 broadcast.

? THE MENTALIST was first in households (12.2/18), viewers (19.62m), adults 25-54 (5.9/13) and second in adults 18-49 (4.0/10). THE MENTALIST was up +5% in households (from 11.6/18) while adding +310,000 viewers (from 19.31m, +2%) compared to the last first run episode (on Dec. 16, 2008). These are series highs in both households and viewers, second best delivery ever in adults 25-54 (behind the Dec.16, 2008 broadcast). This is CBS's largest audience for a first run regularly scheduled program in this time period since Feb. 28, 1995 (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "Children of the Dust" Part 2).

? THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS (S) was first in adults 18-49 (3.0/08) and second in households (6.0/10), viewers (9.41m) and adults 25-54 (3.6/08, -0.1 behind ABC). THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS was up +43% in households (from 4.2/07), +80% in adults 25-54 (from 2.0/05), +88% in adults 18-49 (from 1.6/04) and added +3.45m viewers (from 5.96m, +58%) compared to last year's event (on Jan. 8, 2008).

-- CBS was first Friday in households (6.4/11), viewers (10.26m), adults 25-54 (3.4/09) and adults 18-49 (2.3/07). This was CBS's 13th win in 15 Fridays in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49. This was CBS's best Friday delivery in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Nov. 21, 2008. CBS won every half-hour in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

? FLASHPOINT (P) was first in households (6.2/10), viewers (10.00m), adults 25-54 (3.1/08) and adults 18-49 (2.1/06). Compared to the time period's regularly scheduled live plus same day delivery this season, FLASHPOINT was up +51% in households (from 4.1/07), +29% in adults 25-54 (from 2.4/07), +11% in adults 18-49 (from 1.9/06) and added +4.00m viewers (from 6.00m, +67%). This is CBS's best performance in this time period with a first-run regularly scheduled program in both households and viewers since May 11, 2007 ("Close to Home"), in adults 25-54 since Jan.18, 2008 ("Moonlight") and in adults 18-49 since May 2, 2008 ("Moonlight").

? GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD 8:00 PM was second in households (4.3/07), viewers (7.17m), adults 25-54 (2.8/07) and adults 18-49 (2.5/07) - all behind FOX's football. Compared to last week's premiere, GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD 8PM was up +95% in households (from 2.2/04), +133% in adults 25-54 (from 1.2/03), +150% in adults 18-49 (from 1.0/03) and added +3.86m viewers (from 3.31m, +217%).

? GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD 8:30 PM was second in households (3.3/05), viewers (5.56m), adults 25-54 (2.1/05) and adults 18-49 (1.9/05) - all behind FOX's football. Compared to last week's premiere, GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD 8:30PM was up +50% in households (from 2.2/04), +62% in adults 25-54 (from 1.3/03), +73% in adults 18-49 (from 1.1/03) and added +2.13m viewers (from 3.43m, +62%).

-- CBS was first Sunday in households (11.0/17), viewers (18.56m), adults 25-54 (6.9/15) and adults 18-49 (5.5/13).

? CBS's AFC Divisional Playoff Game 62 minute prime run over posted a 19.9/32 with 34.95m viewers, 14.4/34 in adults 25-54 and 12.2/33 in adults 18-49. CBS led the 7:00-8:00PM time period in households, viewers and key demographics. From 8:02-8:06PM, CBS's AFC Post-Game Show delivered a 12.6/20 with 21.35m viewers, 8.4/19 in adults 25-54 and 7.0/18 in adults 18-49.

CBS top programs of the week: #3 AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF POST-GAME (S) (an average 21.35m viewers), #4 THE MENTALIST (19.62m), #5 NCIS (19.10m), #8 60 MINUTES (15.03m), #12 WITHOUT A TRACE (13.13m), #15 COLD CASE (12.30m), #17 TWO AND A HALF MEN (11.56m), #18 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (R) (11.00m), #20 GHOST WHISPERER (10.64m), #21 CSI: MIAMI (R) (10.40m), #24 THE UNIT (10.16m), #25 NUMB3RS (10.14m), #26 FLASHPOINT (P) (10.00m) and #28 THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS (S) (9.41m).





  [january 2009]  
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· 60 MINUTES (CBS)
· CLOSE TO HOME (CBS)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· CSI: MIAMI (CBS)
· FLASHPOINT (ION)
· GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD (CBS)
· GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
· MENTALIST, THE (CBS)
· MOONLIGHT (CBS)
· NCIS (CBS)
· NUMB3RS (CBS)
· TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)
· WITHOUT A TRACE (CBS)





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