CBS WINS PREMIERE WEDNESDAY IN VIEWERS AGAINST HIGHLY-PROMOTED EVENTS ON THE COMPETITION

The Season Premiere of "Criminal Minds" Averages More Viewers Than "X-Factor," While Posting Gains in Adults 18-49 Over Last Year's Premiere

"CSI" Wins its New 10:00 PM Time Period in Viewers, Improving Upon the Year-Ago Time Period in Adults 18-49

"Survivor: South Pacific" Steady Against "X-Factor" and Comedy Premieres

CBS won premiere Wednesday in viewers against highly-promoted competition, as the season premiere of CRIMINAL MINDS topped "X-Factor" in viewers and gained in adults 18-49 versus last year, while CSI won in viewers and improved the time period in demos, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sept. 21.

At 9:00 PM, CRIMINAL MINDS (P) was first in households (8.7/13), second in viewers (14.07m, -0.22m behind ABC) and averaged a 5.0/11 in adults 25-54 and 4.1/10 in adults 18-49. CRIMINAL MINDS was up +1% in households (from 8.6/14) and +3% in adults 18-49 (from 4.0/11) compared to last year's season premiere. CRIMINAL MINDS topped "X-Factor" in the hour by over 1.5 million viewers (vs. 12.56m).

CRIMINAL MINDS posted its best delivery in viewers since April 6, 2011, in adults 25-54 since November 3, 2010 and in adults 18-49 since January 20, 2010.

At 10:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (P) was first in households (7.8/13), viewers (12.59m), second in adults 25-54 (4.1/10, -0.1 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (3.1/08). This was the time period's best delivery in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 with regularly scheduled programming since February 10, 2010 (CSI: NY).

Earlier at 8:00 PM, SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACFIC (P) was second in households (6.3/10), viewers (10.36m), adults 25-54 (4.2/11) and adults 18-49 (3.1/09).

For the night, CBS was first in households (7.6/11), viewers (12.34m) and averaged 4.4/11 in adults 25-54 and 3.5/09 in adults 18-49. This was the fifth time in six years CBS won premiere week Wednesday in viewers.

Updated Wednesday ratings will be available this afternoon.

Note: DVR penetration is at 42%, up from 38% last year. Last Fall, Live+7 audiences for original entertainment series on CBS gained over 1.8 million viewers, on average, over Live+ Same Day ratings, more than any other network. This season, we expect DVR penetration to continue to increase and, as a result, we expect DVR playback audiences to grow as well.