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HOOPS, REALITY AND COMEDIES DRIVE CBS TO ITS SECOND CONSECUTIVE WEEKLY WIN IN VIEWERS, ADULTS 18-49 AND ADULTS 25-54

"Undercover Boss" Delivers Largest Audience Since its Series Premiere

  

"The Amazing Race" Sprints to its Largest Audience Since November 2007

  

A Special Wednesday Edition of "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" Wins Time Period

  

"Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory" Are the Week's Top Two Comedies in Viewers and Key Demos

  

NCAA Basketball Scores Decisive Wins on Thursday, Friday and Saturday

 

            CBS won its second consecutive week in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 driven by the Network's coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, its three reality series and its Monday comedies, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending March 28, week 27 of the 2009-2010 television season.

 

            TWO AND A HALF MEN and THE BIG BANG THEORY were the week's top comedies in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.  UNDERCOVER BOSS, the number one new program of the season, was CBS's top program of the week, delivering its largest audience since its series premiere, while THE AMAZING RACE sprinted to its largest audience since November 2007. 

 

            A special Wednesday edition of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS swept its 8:00 PM time period.  On the drama front, a rebroadcast of NCIS was the week's top drama, delivering more viewers than every other scripted series on the competition. 

 

            CBS Sports' coverage of the NCAA MENS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP dominated weekend programming, winning Thursday, Friday and Saturday in viewers and key demos.

 

            For the week in viewers:  CBS (11.11m), FOX (8.88m), ABC (8.19m) and NBC (6.12m).  Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (12.12m), ahead of FOX (10.09m), NBC (8.85m) and ABC (8.55m). 

 

            For the week in households:  CBS (6.8/12), FOX and ABC (5.2/09, each) and  NBC (3.9/07).  In households season-to-date, CBS is first (7.4/12), ahead of FOX (5.9/09) and both NBC and ABC (5.4/09, each). 

 

            For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (4.0/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/10).  Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (4.2/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.3/09).

 

CBS's Weekly Highlights:

 

The Comedies

 

             HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was second in households (5.3/08), viewers (8.37m), adults 25-54 (4.1/11), adults 18-49 (3.5/10) and adults 18-34 (3.1/10). 

  

 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT was second in households (5.2/08), viewers (8.48m), adults 25-54 (4.1/10) and adults 18-49 (3.3/09).  Compared to last week, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT was up +11% in households (from 4.7/08), +21% in adults 25-54 (from 3.4/09), +22% in adults 18-49 (from 2.7/08) and added +780,000 viewers (from 7.70m, +10%).  

  

 TWO AND A HALF MEN was second in households (8.6/13), viewers (14.46m), adults 25-54 (6.3/14), adults 18-49 (5.1/13) and adults 18-34 (3.2/09). 

  

 THE BIG BANG THEORY was second in households (8.0/12), viewers (13.42m), adults 25-54 (6.3/14), adults 18-49 (5.2/13) and adults 18-34 (3.5/10). 

 

The Reality Shows

 

             THE AMAZING RACE 16 (8:30-9:30 PM) was first in households (7.2/11), viewers (12.73m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12) and adults 18-49 (3.9/10).  THE AMAZING RACE 16 posted the series' best delivery in viewers and adults 25-54 since Nov. 4, 2007 (THE AMAZING RACE 12) and in adults 18-49 since Jan. 6, 2008 (THE AMAZING RACE 12). 

  

 UNDERCOVER BOSS (9:30-10:30 PM) was first in households (9.6/15), viewers (16.72m), adults 25-54 (6.5/15) and adults 18-49 (5.1/13).  UNDERCOVER BOSS posted its best households, viewers and adults 25-54 performances since Feb. 7, 2010 (post-Super Bowl broadcast) and best adults 18-49 ratings since Feb. 28, 2010.  UNDERCOVER BOSS was Sunday's #1 program in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49. 

  

 SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS SPECIAL (S) was first in households (6.6/11), viewers (11.15m), adults 25-54 (4.4/12) and adults 18-49 (3.4/11).  CBS delivered its best viewers total since Dec. 3, 2008 ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer") and best adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 ratings since Dec. 2, 2009 ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer").  

 

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship

  

 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY 1 (S) (7:00 PM-9:37 PM) posted a 6.0/11 in households with 9.68m viewers.  CBS scored a 3.5/12 in adults 25-54, 3.1/11 in adults 18-49, 2.7/11 in adults 18-34, 4.7/16 in men 25-54, 4.2/16 in men 18-49 and 3.5/15 in men 18-34.  CBS was first in these measures from 8:00-9:30 PM.  Compared to the same game last year (7:00-9:45 PM), CBS was up +7% in households, +9% in adults 25-54, +11% in adults 18-49, +17% in adults 18-34, +4% in men 25-54, +8% in men 18-49 and +13% in men 18-34.  

 

 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY 2 (S) (9:37 PM-12:34 AM) posted a 7.1/13 with 11.32m viewers, 4.6/13 in adults 25-54, 4.3/14 in adults 18-49, 4.0/14 in adults 18-34, 6.2/19 in men 25-54, 5.7/19 in men 18-49 and 5.1/19 in men 18-34.  CBS was first in these measures from 9:30-11:00 PM.  Compared to the same game last year (9:45 PM-12:22 AM), CBS was up +6% in households, +10% in adults 25-54, +13% in both adults 18-49 and men 18-34, +21% in adults 18-34, +5% in men 25-54 and +8% in men 18-49. 

 

 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY 1 (S) (7:00 PM-9:31 PM) posted a 5.5/11 in households with 8.93m viewers.  CBS scored a 3.1/11 in adults 25-54, 2.7/11 in adults 18-49, 2.3/11 in adults 18-34, 4.2/15 in men 25-54, 3.7/16 in men 18-49 and 3.2/16 in men 18-34.  CBS was first in all these measures from 8:00-9:30 PM. 

 

 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY 2 (S) (9:31 PM-12:05 AM) scored a 6.9/13 in households with 11.08m viewers.  CBS posted a 4.3/13 in adults 25-54, 3.7/12 in adults 18-49, 3.0/12 in adults 18-34, 6.0/18 in men 25-54, 5.2/17 in men 18-49 and 4.2/17 in men 18-34.  CBS was first in all these measures from 9:30-11:00 PM. 

 

 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY 2 (S) (6:55 PM-9:42 PM) posted a 7.3/15 with 12.05m viewers, 4.5/15 in adults 25-54, 3.8/15 in adults 18-49, 3.3/15 in adults 18-34, 5.9/20 in men 25-54, 5.1/20 in men 18-49 and 4.4/20 in men 18-34 - easily winning the 8:00-9:30 PM time slot.  Compared to the same game last year (which began at 7:01 PM), CBS was up +11%  in households, +7% in both adults 25-54 and men 18-34, +6% in both adults 18-49 and men 18-49, +3% in adults 18-34 and +4% in men 25-54. 

 

            CBS's top programs of the week:  #4 UNDERCOVER BOSS (an average of 16.72m viewers), #5 60 MINUTES (14.49m), #6 TWO AND A HALF MEN (14.46m), #7 THE BIG BANG THEORY (13.42m), #8 NCIS (R) (13.04m), #9 THE AMAZING RACE 16 (12.73m), #11 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY 2 (S) (12.05m), #13 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (11.34m), #14 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY 2 (S) (11.32m), #15 SURVIVOR HEROES VS. VILLAINS WEDNESAY SPECIAL (S) (11.15m), #16 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY 2 (S) (11.08m), #17 CSI: MIAMI (10.80m), #19 COLD CASE (10.32m), #20 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY 1 (S) (9.68m), #23 CBS NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY 1 (S) (8.93m), #26 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (8.48m), #27 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (8.37m), #28 CRIMINAL MINDS (R) (8.18m) and #30 THE GOOD WIFE (R) (7.87m).

 

 

Prime averages are based on the following hours of rated broadcasts in Week #27:

 

CBS - 22 hours

NBC - 22 hours

ABC - 22 hours

FOX - 15 hours

 

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME                                                                                    

Week #27 of 2009-10 Season (ending: 03/28/10)                                                                                                                                                                                           

                        2009-10                                                          

HOUSEHOLDS                                                                                             

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 6.8       12                   

NBC                3.9       7                     

ABC                5.2       9                     

FOX                5.2       9                     

                                                                                                                                               

VIEWERS                                                                                          

                        (000)                           

CBS                 11,112                        

NBC                6,122                          

ABC                8,186                          

FOX                8,882                                                                                                                                                              

A25-54                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 4.0       11                   

NBC                2.4       6                     

ABC                3.0       8                     

FOX                3.5       9                     

                                                                                                                                               

A18-49                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 3.2       10                   

NBC                2.0       6                     

ABC                2.5       7                     

FOX                3.1       9                                                                                                                     

 

A18-34                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 2.4       8                     

NBC                1.5       5                     

ABC                1.9       6                     

FOX                2.6       9                     

 

NATIONAL NIELSEN SUMMARY - PRIMETIME                                                            

                                                                                               

SEASON-TO-DATE RATINGS REPORT (09/21/09-03/28/10)                                                                                           

                        2009-10                                                          

HOUSEHOLDS                                                                                             

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 7.4       12                   

NBC                5.4       9                     

ABC                5.4       9                     

FOX                5.9       9                     

                                                                                                                                   

VIEWERS                                                                                          

                        (000)                           

CBS                 12,116                        

NBC                8,854                          

ABC                8,546                          

FOX                10,094                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

A25-54                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 4.2       10                   

NBC                3.4       8                     

ABC                3.2       8                     

FOX                4.1       10                   

                                                                                                                                   

A18-49                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 3.3       9                     

NBC                2.9       8                     

ABC                2.7       7                     

FOX                3.7       10                                                                                                       

                                                                                               

A18-34                                                                                               

                        Rtg       Sh                   

CBS                 2.3       7                     

NBC                2.3       7                     

ABC                2.2       7                     

FOX                3.3       10                   

 

*  *  *

 

Press Contacts:            

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

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

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