Drama, Comedy And Football Lead CBS To A Weekly Win In Viewers, Adults 18-49 And Adults 25-54

CBS Posts the Largest Weekly Criminal mindsAudience and Highest Adult 25-54 Rating of Any Network this Season

Network Notches 7 of the Top 10 Programs and 12 of the Top 15

CBS Has the Top 10 Criminal minds dvdScripted Programs of the Week

“AFC Divisional Playoff” Delivers CBS’s Largest Saturday Audience Since 1994

41 Million Viewers Witness Sunday’s Criminal minds seasons dvd“AFC Divisional Playoff” Overrun

“The Big Bang Theory” Delivers Series Highs While “Two and a Half Men” and “How I Met Your Mother” Post Season Highs

“NCIS” Uncovers More Viewers Criminal minds dvd seasonThan its Season Average Against the Premiere of “American Idol”

CBS dominated the week in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 posting the largest weekly audience and highest adult 25-54 rating by any network this season, led by strong performances of the Network’s comedies and dramas,Criminal minds series dvd Saturday’s primetime AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF and Sunday’s AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF primetime overrun, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Jan. 17, week 17 of the 2009-2010 television season.

CBS had 7 of the top 10 programs and 12 of the top 15, including the AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF SATURDAY (“Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts”), the No. 1 program of the week Criminal minds dvd collectionwhich delivered CBS’s largest Saturday primetime audience since 1994. On Sunday, more than 41 million viewers watched CBS’s AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (“New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers”) primetime football run over.

NCIS, TWO AND A HALF MEN, Criminal minds dvd setTHE BIG BANG THEORY, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, THE MENTALIST, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, CSI: NY, CRIMINAL MINDS, THE GOOD WIFE and CSI: MIAMI were the week’s top scripted programs.

THE BIG BANG THEORY hit series highs in all key ratings measures while HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (100th episode) and TWO AND A HALF MEN delivered season highs in viewers and key demographics.

NCIS outperformed its seasonCriminal minds tv series box set viewer average against “American Idol” and CRIMINAL MINDS retained 99% of its viewer average while showing gains in key demos opposite Wednesday’s “American Idol.”

For the week in viewers: CBS (16.36m) led FOX (12.34m), NBC (7.31m) and ABC (6.44m). Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (11.81m), ahead of FOX (9.03m), ABC (9.02m) and NBC (7.82m).

For the week in households: CBS (9.7/16) was ahead of FOX (7.0/11), NBC (4.6/07) and ABC (4.1/07). In households, season-to-date, CBS is first (7.3/12), ahead of ABC (5.7/09), Criminal minds DVD box setFOX (5.4/09) and NBC (4.8/08).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (5.8/14) and adults 18-49 (4.7/13). CBS posted the best weekly delivery of any network this season in adults 25-54 and second best in adults 18-49. Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (4.0/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.1/08).