September 23, 2004

CBS NEWS' "THE EARLY SHOW" FINISHES 2003-04 BROADCAST YEAR AS FASTEST GROWING NETWORK MORNING NEWS PROGRAM, ADDING OVER 210,000 VIEWERS

For the 2003-04 Television Year, "The Early Show"?Posted its Best Delivery in Nine Years

in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Women 25-54

For the Year, "The Early Show" Is the Only Network Morning News Program

to Post Gains in Adults 25-54 (+22%) and Women 25-54 (+17%)

"The Early Show" Scores Best Week Since May With Over Three Million Viewers

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For the 2003-04 broadcast year, THE EARLY SHOW posted its best delivery in nine years in total viewers, adults 25-54, women 25-54 and boomers (since 1994-95), in six years in adults 18-49 (since 1997-98), and in five years in households (since 1998-99).??? THE EARLY SHOW finished the 2003-04 broadcast year as the fastest growing network morning news program, adding 211,000 viewers (+8%), compared to "GMA" +209,000 viewers (+4%) and "Today" +40,000 viewers (+1%).

THE EARLY SHOW is the only network morning news broadcast to post gains in the key demos of adults 25-54 (+22%) and women 25-54 (+17%) for the television year. "Today" is down -4% in adults 25-54 and -9% in women 25-54. The broadcast is in its best competitive position against the "Today" show in nine years in adults 25-54, adults 18-49 and women 25-54 (since 1994-95), in eight years in households (since 1995-96), and in seven years in both viewers and women 18-49 (since 1996-97). THE EARLY SHOW is in its best competitive position against "Good Morning America" in three years (since 2000-01) in households, total viewers, adults 25-54, adults 18-49, women 25-54 and women 18-49.

For the week of Sept. 13, 2004, THE EARLY SHOW (2.4/9, 3.08m viewers) delivered impressive, double-digit gains in households, total viewers and key women demos.? With over three million viewers, THE EARLY SHOW scored its best delivery in total viewers since the week of May 10, 2004. ???

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THE EARLY SHOW:???
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        ?Increased +14% in households (2.4/9 from 2.1/8) compared to the same week last year.
        Increased +15% in total viewers (3.08m from 2.67m) compared to the same week last year.
        Increased +9% in adults 25-54 (1.2/8 from 1.1/8) compared to the same week last year.
        Increased +17% in women 25-54 (1.4/9 from 1.2/8) compared to the same week last year. 

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        Increased +20% in women 18-49 (1.2/8 from 1.0/7) compared to the same week last year.
        Increased +8% in boomers (1.4/10 from 1.3/8) compared to the same week last year.

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THE EARLY SHOW is broadcast weekdays (7:00-9:00AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.? Michael Bass is the senior executive producer and Victor Neufeld is the executive producer.

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Press Contact:??????????????? Leigh Farris?????????????????? 212-975-2856??????????????? farrisl@cbsnews.com