Network Grows Audience from Premiere Tuesday and Soars to Its Best Tuesday Delivery in Viewers Since May 2005

"NCIS" (17.5 Million Viewers) Is the Night's Number One Program

The Second Episode of "The Mentalist" Builds On Its Strong Premiere Week Ratings and Wins Time Period in Adults 25-54

"Without a Trace" Posts Significant Week-to-Week Gains

CBS won Tuesday in viewers for the second consecutive week of the new season, scoring its largest audience on the night since May 2005, according to updated Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Sept. 30. 

NCIS was the night's Number One program with 17.5 million viewers, freshman drama THE MENTALIST built on its strong premiere ratings and WITHOUT A TRACE posted significant week-to-week growth.

NCIS won its time period in households (11.0/17), viewers (17.47m), finished second in adults 25-54 (5.0/13) and adults 18-49 (3.5/10). 

THE MENTALIST (9.8/15, 15.48m) was first in adults 25-54 (5.1/12), second in households and viewers (-0.007m behind ABC) and averaged 3.6/09 in adults 18-49.  THE MENTALIST built on its NCIS lead-in by +2% in adults 25-54 and +3% in adults 18-49.  Compared to last week's series premiere, THE MENTALIST was up +2% in adults 25-54, +3% in adults 18-49 and retained 99% of both its households and viewers deliveries.

WITHOUT A TRACE was first in households (8.4/14), viewers (12.61m), second in adults 25-54 (3.8/10) and adults 18-49 (2.7/08).  Compared to last week's season premiere, WITHOUT A TRACE was up +14% in households (from 7.4/12), +3% in adults 25-54 (from 3.7/09) and added +1.33m viewers (from 11.28m, +12%). 

For the night, CBS was first in households (9.7/15), viewers (15.19m), second in adults 25-54 (4.6/11) and tied for second in adults 18-49 (3.3/09, with NBC).  This is CBS's best viewers delivery on a Tuesday with regularly scheduled programming since May 10, 2005 (NCIS/THE AMAZING RACE season finale).  Versus the same night a year ago, CBS was up +23% in viewers, +6% in adults 18-49 and +7% in adults 25-54.

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Press Contacts:

Ed Harrison                323/575-4254               ed.harrison@cbs.com

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