"NCIS" Finishes in Its Best Competitive Position against "Idol" in Viewers

"The Good Wife" Places First at 10:00 PM in Viewers with Gains of +10% in Key Demos versus Last Week

     NCIS attracted 19.2 million viewers, retaining 90% of last week's audience opposite a special edition of "American Idol" and marking the first time that the CBS series topped "Idol" head-to-head in households, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Tuesday, March 1.

     NCIS was first in households (11.7/18), second in viewers (19.20m), adults 25-54 (5.1/13) and adults 18-49 (3.8/11).  Against "American Idol", NCIS retained 95% of last week's household delivery (from 12.3/19), 82% of adults 25-54 (from 6.2/16), 86% of adults 18-49 (from 4.4/13) and 90% of viewers (from 21.32m) compared to last week.  NCIS beat "American Idol" from 8:00-9:00 PM for the first time ever in households and was in its best-ever competitive position in viewers (-1.44m). 

     NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in households (9.5/15) and second in viewers (15.59m, -0.05m behind FOX), adults 25-54 (4.5/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). 

     THE GOOD WIFE was first in households (7.4/13) and viewers (11.31m); it was second in adults 25-54 (3.4/09) and adults 18-49 (2.2/06).  Compared to last week, THE GOOD WIFE was up +10% in both adults 25-54 (from 3.1/08) and adults 18-49 (from 2.0/06).

     For the night, CBS was second in households (9.5/15), viewers (15.37m), adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and adults 18-49 (3.1/09). 

     Updated Tuesday ratings will be available this afternoon.

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Press Contacts:            

Ed Harrison                  818-655-1584             ed.harrison@cbs.com

Jeremy Murphy            212-975-4577             jeremy.murphy@cbs.com