After 7 Weeks of Summer, CBS is Up +2% Network Wins Its Fourth Consecutive Week CBS Has Three of the Top Five and Seven of Top 10 Programs "Big Brother 11" Thursday and Sunday Editions Return with Time Period Wins Viewers and Key Demos

Just as it was in the regular season, CBS is the ONLY broadcast network to grow its audience during the summer season, according to Nielsen live plus same day and most current ratings through the week ending July 12, week 42 of the 2008-2009 television year.

Through seven weeks of the summer season, CBS is averaging 7.12 million viewers, a +2% increase over the 6.98 million viewers during the comparable summer period a year ago.

In a week that saw the return of BIG BROTHER, CBS placed first in viewers for the fourth consecutive week, first in adults 25-54 for the third time in four weeks and second in adults 18-49, just -0.1 behind FOX.  CBS was first in viewers on six nights, winning Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

BIG BROTHER 11 THURSDAY premiered with a time period win in viewers and key demographics while BIG BROTHER 11 SUNDAY also debuted with a first place finish in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.  Meanwhile, CBS had three of the week's top five programs, seven of the top 10 and 11 of the Top 20.  NCIS was the week's top drama in viewers and adults 25-54 for the third straight week and TWO AND A HALF MEN was the top comedy in viewers and tied with THE BIG BANG THEORY as the top scripted series in adults 18-49.

For the week in viewers:  CBS (6.46m), NBC (4.79m), FOX (4.37m) and ABC (4.32m).  Summer-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (7.12m), ahead of NBC (5.41m), ABC (5.04m) and FOX (5.01m).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (2.0/06) for the third time in four weeks and second in adults 18-49 (1.4/05, -0.1 behind FOX).

For the week in households:  CBS (4.3/08), NBC (3.1/06), ABC (2.9/05) and FOX (2.7/05). Summer-to-date, CBS is first (4.7/09), ahead of NBC (3.5/06), ABC (3.2/06) and FOX (3.1/06).

CBS's Weekly Highlights: 

BIG BROTHER 11 THURSDAY (P) (8:00-9:00 PM) was first in households (4.4/08), viewers (6.59m), adults 25-54 (2.7/09), adults 18-49 (2.3/08) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07).   Compared to the first episode of BIG BROTHER 10 (which premiered on Sunday, July 13 last summer), CBS was up +10% in both households (from 4.0/07) and adults 18-49 (from 2.1/07), +20% in adults 18-34 (from 1.5/05), even in adults 25-54 and added +460,000 viewers (from 6.13m, +7%).

-- Compared to the Thursday BIG BROTHER 10 premiere (which was on July 31, 2008), CBS was up +5% in households (from 4.2/08), +6% in adults 18-34 (from 1.7/08), even in adults 18-49 and added +190,000 viewers (from 6.40m, +3%).  Compared to the time period live plus same day delivery this summer (rebroadcasts of CBS's crime dramas and sitcoms), CBS was up +42% in adults 25-54 (from 1.9/06), +64% in adults 18-49 (from 1.4/05) and +100% in adults 18-34 (from 0.9/03).

 BIG BROTHER 11 SUNDAY (P) (8:12-9:12 PM) scored a 3.9/07 with 6.29m viewers, 2.6/07 in adults 25-54, 2.0/06 in adults 18-49 and 1.5/05 in adults 18-34 - finishing first in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49. Compared to the Sunday 8:00 PM regularly scheduled live plus same day delivery this summer, CBS was up +73% in adults 25-54 (from 1.5/04), +100% in adults 18-49 (from 1.0/03) and +150% in adults 18-34 (from 0.6/02).