November 19, 2004

NUMBER 100 =NUMBER 1 EVER

"CSI'S" 100th Episode Delivers Its Most Watched Broadcast Ever With 31.44 Million Viewers

"CSI" Matches Its Highest Ever Adult 18-49 Rating

"Survivor: Vanuatu" Tops "Joey" and "The O.C." Again in Adults 18-34 With Its Most Watched Episode of the Season

"Without a Trace" Beats "ER"

"Late Show with David Letterman" Tops "The Tonight Show" in the Metered Markets For the First Time on a Thursday Since July 1995

"The Late Late Show" Hits a Season High

The 100th episode of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION delivered its most watched episode ever and matched its highest ever adult 18-49, leading CBS to another Thursday victory in viewers, adults18-49 and adults 25-54, according to preliminary Nielsen affiliate based ratings for Nov. 18.

CSI dominated its 9:00-10:00pm time period in households (19.2/28), viewers (31.44m), adults 18-34 (8.8/23), adults 18-49 (11.6/28) and adults 25-54 (13.7/29). CBS beat NBC, ABC and FOX combined in viewers (31.44m vs. 26.06m, +21%), adults 25-54 (13.7 vs. 12.0, +14%) and adults 18-49 (11.6 vs. 10.7, +8%). ?
If the ratings hold, this will match the highest rated primetime broadcast this season of any program/special/event in adults 25-54, post the second most watched broadcast this season, just -0.02m behind Game 7 of the ALCS (31.44m vs. 31.46m) and the second highest rated adults 18-49 broadcast this season (-0.2 behind Game 7 of the ALCS). ?
SURVIVOR: VANUATU, with its most watched episode of the season, led off the night winning its time period in households (12.1/19), viewers (20.69m), adults 18-34 (5.7/17), adults 18-49 (7.7/21) and adults 25-54 (9.0/22). CBS won both half-hours in households, viewers, adults 25-54, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. Once again, SURVIVOR beat "Joey" (4.8/15) and "The O.C." (4.4/13) in adults 18-34. SURVIVOR has beaten "Joey" and "Will & Grace" every week the programs have competed in households, viewers and key demographics. ?
WITHOUT A TRACE was first in households (12.8/21), viewers (19.48m), second in adults 25-54 (8.0/19), adults 18-49 (6.7/17) and adults 18-34 (5.2/15). ?
For the night, CBS was first in households (14.7/23), viewers (23.87m), adults 25-54 (10.3/24) and adults 18-49 (8.6/22).

In late night, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, with guests Howard Stern and Alanis Morisette, delivered a 5.7/14 in the 56 Nielsen metered markets, the LATE SHOW's highest rated broadcast of the season.

Last night was the LATE SHOW's highest rated Thursday night telecast since a 5.8/15 on 2/19/98 during the Winter Olympics. ?
LATE SHOW beat "The Tonight Show" (5.7/14 vs. 5.4/13) for the first time on a Thursday when both shows went head-to-head since July 27, 1995.

THE LATE LATE SHOW with guest host D.L. Hughley and guests Frankie Muniz and Nellie McKay, delivered a 2.3/8 in the 56 Nielsen metered markets, surpassing Monday's show as the highest rated LATE LATE SHOW of the season and highest rated on any night since Feb. 9, 2004. ?

Final primetime ratings will be available this afternoon.

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Press Contact:  Ed Harrison                323/575-4254         ed.harrison@tvc.cbs.com
                        Jeremy Murphy   212/975-4577            jeremy.murphy@cbs.com