September 24, 2002

CBS HAS A BANNER PREMIERE MONDAY IN PRIME TIME, LATE LOCAL NEWS AND LATE NIGHT

CBS HAS ITS HIGHEST RATED PREMIERE MONDAY SINCE THE 1996-97 SEASON

Premiere of "CSI: Miami" Draws Average of Nearly 23 Million Viewers, Dominates Time Period in Households, Viewers and Key Demographics And Is Most Watched September Drama Series Premiere Since "ER" in 1994

"CSI: Miami" Up +158% in Adults 18-49, +167% in Adults 25-54 And Adds More Than 13 Million Viewers Over Last Season's Time Period Premiere

Double Dose of "Everybody Loves Raymond" Douses the Competition: Ray's Season Premiere At 9:00 PM Attracts 22.6 Million; Audience Increases to 23.5 Million In a Special 9:30 PM Episode

"The King of Queens" and "Yes, Dear" Win Their Time Periods

CBS Owned Stations Show Dramatic Gains in Late Local News; CBS Late Newscasts in Metered Markets Beat NBC's Late Newscasts

"Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" Score Their Highest Rated Mondays Since December 2001

CBS launched the 2002-2003 season with a banner Monday in prime time, late local news and late night.

CBS kicked-off the new season with its highest rated premiere Monday in viewers, households and key demographics since the 1996-97 season, winning every half-hour in viewers and households and five of six half-hours in adults 18-49. The Network capped off the night with a stellar performance by the highly anticipated premiere of CSI: MIAMI, according to Nielsen affiliate-based ratings for Sept. 23.

The series premiere of CSI: MIAMI won its time period in households (14.8/23), viewers (22.86m), adults 18-49 (8.5/21) and adults 25-54 (10.4/23). Compared to the time period's premiere last year, CSI: MIAMI is up +114% in households (from 6.9/11), +158% in adults 18-49 (from 3.3/8), +167% in adults 25-54 (from 3.9/9) and added 13.38m viewers (from 9.48m).

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This is the time period's best performance for a regularly scheduled program since 1/8/96 in households and adults 25-54, ("Chicago Hope"), 1/22/96 in adults 18-49 ("Chicago Hope") and 1/24/94 in viewers ("Northern Exposure").

The premiere of CSI: MIAMI attracted more viewers than any other September drama series premiere in eight years (since "ER" on 9/24/94). It also was the highest rated drama premiere in key adult 18-49 and 25-54 demographics since 1996 ("Millenium"). ?
The premiere of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (9:00-9:30 PM) won its time period in households (14.4/21), viewers (22.64m), adults 18-49 (7.6/17) and adults 25-54 (9.4/20). ?
A special 9:30-10:00 PM episode of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND won its time period in households (14.9/22), viewers (23.46m), adults 18-49 (8.5/19) and adults 25-54 (10.4/21). ?
The premiere of THE KING OF QUEENS won its time period in households (9.4/15), viewers (14.95m), adults 18-49 (4.8/14) and adults 25-54 (5.9/15). ?
YES DEAR's premiere won its time period in households (9.8/15), viewers (15.10m), adults 25-54 (5.9/13) and was second in adults 18-49 (4.9/12, -0.1 behind NBC). ?
For the night, CBS was first in households (13.0/20, up +37% from premiere Monday last year), viewers (20.31m, up 5.87m), adults 18-49 (7.1/17, up +29% from 5.8/13) and adults 25-54 (8.7/19, up +36% from 6.4/14). This is CBS's best premiere Monday in viewers, households and key demographics since the 1996-97 season (which included the return of Bill Cosby to series television).

Late Local News Show Significant Increases ?
Also on Monday, late local news at CBS Owned television stations was up +27% from year ago, with 13 of the 15 stations showing significant increases. Ratings were up +22% in New York, +100% in Los Angeles, +9 in Chicago, +9% in Philadelphia, +73% in San Francisco, +8% in Dallas-Ft. Worth, +10% in Detroit, +27% in Minneapolis-St. Paul, +77% in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, +30% in Pittsburgh, +36% in Baltimore, +15% in Salt Lake City and +64% in Austin. Denver was even and ratings are not available for Boston.

Overall, the late news broadcasts on the CBS affiliates averaged a 9.5/17 across the 53 metered markets last night. This is an increase of +30% from the comparable performance last year (7.3/13 on 9/24/01). ?
NBC's Monday night late newscasts averaged an 8.9/16 last night in the 53 metered markets, a decline of -20% from an 11.1/20 on 9/24/01.

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The CBS late newscasts beat the NBC late newscasts by +7% last night (9.5/17 vs. 8.9/16). Last year on 9/24/01, the CBS late newscasts trailed NBC by -34% (7.3/13 vs. 11.1/20). ?
Last night's LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN delivered a 4.3/10 in the metered markets, +16% higher than LATE SHOW's Monday night average during the 2001-02 broadcast year (9/24/01-9/20/02) and is the highest rated Monday night for the program since a 4.4/11 on 12/3/01.

? LATE LATE SHOW with CRAIG KILBORN delivered a 1.7/7 in the metered markets, up +6% from a 1.6/6 on the comparable night a year ago (9/24/01), up +13% over the show's Monday night average and +13% over the show's Monday average last season. It was the show's highest rating since a 1.8/5 on 12/31/01. ?

Final Nielsen prime time ratings for Monday will be available this afternoon. Final Late Night national ratings will be available on Oct. 3.

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Press contacts:         Michael G. Silver       212/255-7830            mgsilver@cbs.com
                        Ed Harrison             323/575-4254            ed.harrison@tvc.cbs.com