CBS Goes 5 For 5: Only 3rd Time in 23 Years a Net Opens Season with 5 Straight Wins in Viewers and Demos

NEW YORK, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS placed first in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 for the fifth consecutive week, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Oct. 24, week five of the 2010-2011 television season. This marks the first time any network has won the opening five weeks of a season in all key ratings measures since 1997, and only the third time a network has accomplished this since the advent of people meters in 1987 (NBC did so in 1997 and 1988).

Compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +4% in households, +8% in viewers, +6% in adults 25-54 and +7% in adults 18-49.    

CBS again had the week's top five new programs in viewers (BLUE BLOODS, HAWAII FIVE-0, $#*! MY DAD SAYS, MIKE & MOLLY and THE DEFENDERS) and the top three in adults 18-49 (MIKE & MOLLY, $#*! MY DAD SAYS and HAWAII FIVE-0)

CBS had six of the week's top 10 programs—NCIS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, 60 MINUTES, CSI, CRIMINAL MINDS and THE MENTALIST, and the top eight  scripted series.

For the week in viewers:  CBS (11.56m), ahead of ABC (8.86m), NBC (8.02m) and FOX (7.50m).   Season-to-date, CBS (12.72m) is ahead of ABC (9.60m), NBC (8.21m) and FOX (7.57m).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (3.8/10) and adults 18-49 (2.9/08) for the fifth consecutive week. CBS's five week sweep is the first time in 13 years (1997, NBC) and only the third time in the 23-year history of people meters that a network has been able to achieve this kind of dominance in the first five weeks of the television season.  Season-to-date, CBS is first in both adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and adults 18-49 (3.3/09).

For the week in households: CBS (7.1/12) was ahead of ABC (5.6/09), NBC (5.0/08) and FOX (4.5/08).  Season-to-date, CBS (7.8/13) is ahead of ABC (6.1/10), NBC (5.1/09) and FOX (4.5/07). 

CBS's Weekly Highlights:

• TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in adults 25-54 (5.7/13), adults 18-49 (4.4/11), second in households (8.2/12) and viewers (13.54m).  TWO AND A HALF MEN was the night's #1 program in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 and the #1 scripted program in viewers.

• MIKE & MOLLY was second in households (6.7/10), viewers (10.90m), adults 25-54 (4.5/10) and adults 18-49 (3.5/09).  Compared to last week, MIKE & MOLLY was up +2% in households (from 6.6/10), even in adults 18-49 and added +180,000 viewers (from 10.72m, +2%). 

• HAWAII FIVE-0 was first in adults 25-54 (4.0/10), adults 18-49 (2.9/08), second in both households (7.0/12) and viewers (10.944m, -0.005 behind ABC's "Castle"). 

-- Tuesday, CBS was first in households (9.8/16), viewers (15.86m), adults 25-54 (4.8/12) and adults 18-49 (3.6/10).  CBS has been first on Tuesday in households, viewers and adults 25-54 for the last five weeks.  Tuesday also marked CBS's second straight first-place finish in adults 18-49; the Network posted its best Tuesday adults 18-49 delivery since Feb. 9, 2010.         

• NCIS was first in households (11.7/19), viewers (19.41m), adults 25-54 (5.7/15), adults 18-49 (4.3/12) and adults 18-34 (2.8/09).  NCIS posted its best adults 18-49 performance since Feb. 2, 2010, adults 18-34 delivery since May 11, 2010 and matched season high adults 25-54 ratings.  Compared to last week, NCIS was up +6% in adults 25-54 (from 5.4/14), +10% in adults 18-49 (from 3.9/11) and +12% in adults 18-34 (from 2.5/08).  NCIS was Tuesday's #1 program in viewers, adults 25-54, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. 

• NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in viewers (16.00m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12), adults 18-49 (3.9/10), adults 18-34 (2.5/07) and second in households (9.7/15, -0.1 behind ABC).  NCIS: LOS ANGELES posted its best delivery in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Feb. 9, 2010.  Compared to last week, NCIS: LOS ANGELES was up +9% in adults 25-54 (from 4.7/11), +11% in adults 18-49 (from 3.5/09) and +19% in adults 18-34 (from 2.1/06).

• THE GOOD WIFE was first in households (7.9/14), viewers (12.17m), adults 25-54 (3.5/09) and adults 18-49 (2.6/07) for the fourth straight week.  THE GOOD WIFE posted its best adults 18-49 delivery since March 16, 2010.  Compared to last week, THE GOOD WIFE was up +3% in households (from 7.7/13), +4% in adults 18-49 (from 2.5/07), even in adults 25-54 and added +350,000 viewers (from 11.82m, +3%).

-- Wednesday, CBS was first in households (7.4/12), viewers (12.25m), adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09).  CBS was first in these measures for the fifth consecutive Wednesday this season and the second straight night this week.  

• SURVIVOR: NICARAGUA was first in households (7.0/12), viewers (12.26m), adults 25-54 (4.8/13) and adults 18-49 (3.6/11).  CBS swept this time slot for the sixth consecutive week. 

• CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (8.8/14), viewers (14.46m), adults 25-54 (5.0/12) and second in adults 18-49 (3.7/10).  Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +1% in households (from 8.7/14), +6% in both adults 25-54 (from 4.7/11) and adults 18-49 (from 3.5/10) and added +460,000 viewers (from 14.00m, +3%).

-- Thursday, CBS was first in households (8.4/14), viewers (13.79m), adults 25-54 (4.6/12) and second behind FOX's baseball in adults 18-49 (3.3/09, -0.2 behind FOX).     

• THE BIG BANG THEORY  was first in households (7.9/13), viewers (13.05m), adults 25-54 (5.3/15), adults 18-49 (4.1/13) and adults 18-34 (2.7/09) at 8PM.  Compared to last week, THE BIG BANG THEORY was up +4% in households (from 7.6/13) and added +480,000 viewers (from 12.57m, +4%).  THE BIG BANG THEORY was the night's #1 program in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

• $#*! MY DAD SAYS was first in adults 25-54 (4.3/12), second behind FOX's baseball in households (6.7/11), viewers (10.91m, -0.23m behind FOX) and adults 18-49 (3.1/09, -0.1 behind FOX).  Compared to last week, $#*! MY DAD SAYS was up +10% in households (from 6.1/10), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 4.2/11) and added +750,000 viewers (from 10.16m, +7%).     

• CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was first in households (9.0/14), viewers (14.96m) and adults 25-54 (4.8/11).  Compared to last week, CSI was up +1% in households (from 9.0/14), +9% in adults 25-54 (from 4.4/11), +10% in adults 18-49 (3.4/09 from 3.1/08) and added +510,000 viewers (from 14.45m, +4%).  CSI posted its largest audience since April 8, 2010, best adults 25-54 ratings since March 4, 2010 and adults 18-49 ratings since the 2010 season premiere on September 23rd.

• THE MENTALIST was first in households (9.0/16), viewers (14.42m), second in adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (2.9/08).   

-- Friday, CBS was first in households (5.8/11), viewers (9.31m), adults 25-54 (2.3/07) and adults 18-49 (1.7/06).  CBS was first on Friday for the fifth consecutive week in these measures. 

• MEDIUM was first in households (4.2/08), viewers (6.54m), adults 25-54 (1.9/06) and adults 18-49 (1.4/05).  Compared to last week, MEDIUM was up +8% in households (from 3.9/08), +12% in adults 25-54 (from 1.7/06), +27% in adults 18-49 (from 1.1/04) and added +610,000 viewers (from 5.93m, +10%). 

• CSI: NY was first in households (6.3/11), viewers (10.25m), adults 25-54 (2.5/07) and adults 18-49 (1.8/06).  Compared to last week, CSI: NY was up +7% in households (from 6.0/10), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 2.4/08), +6% in adults 18-49 (from 1.7/06) and added +680,000 viewers (from 9.57m, +7%).    

• BLUE BLOODS was first in households (7.0/13), viewers (11.15m), adults 25-54 (2.6/07) and adults 18-49 (1.8/06).  Compared to last week, BLUE BLOODS was up +8% in households (from 6.5/12), +4% in adults 25-54 (from 2.5/07), +6% in adults 18-49 (from 1.7/06) and added +750,000 viewers (from 10.40m, +7%).

• 60 MINUTES (7:17-8:17PM) posted a 9.8/16 with 15.79m viewers, 4.5/12 in adults 25-54 and 3.4/10 in adults 18-49.  From 7:30-8:30PM, CBS was first in households and viewers, second in key demos.  Compared to last week, 60 MINUTES was up +18% in households (from 8.3/14), +45% in adults 25-54 (from 3.1/09), +55% in adults 18-49 (from 2.2/07) and added +2.96m viewers (from 12.83m, +23%). 

• THE AMAZING RACE 17 (8:17-9:17PM) scored a 6.7/10 with 11.42m viewers, 4.4/10 in adults 25-54 and 3.4/08 in adults 18-49.  In the 8:30-9:30PM hour, CBS was second in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.  Compared to last week, THE AMAZING RACE 17 was up +6% in households (from 6.3/10), +2% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/10) and added +480,000 viewers (from 10.94m, +4%). 

CBS top programs of the week:  #2 NCIS (an average of 19.41m viewers), #5 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (16.00m), #6 60 MINUTES (15.79m), #8 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (14.96m), #9 CRIMINAL MINDS (14.46m), #10 THE MENTALIST (14.42m), #12 TWO AND A HALF MEN (13.54m), #13 THE BIG BANG THEORY (13.05m), #14 SURVIVOR: NICARAGUA (12.26m), #15 THE GOOD WIFE (12.17m), #17 UNDERCOVER BOSS (12.00m), #20 THE AMAZING RACE 17 (11.42m), #22 BLUE BLOODS (11.15m), #25 HAWAII FIVE-0 (10.94m), #26 $#*! MY DAD SAYS (10.905m), #27 MIKE AND MOLLY (10.903m), #28 CSI: NY (10.25m), #29 THE DEFENDERS (10.03m) and #30 CSI: MIAMI (10.00m).

SOURCE CBS Corporation