CBS RENEWS 11 SERIES FOR THE 2008-2009 SEASON

"Cold Case," "Criminal Minds," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "Ghost Whisperer," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Two and a Half Men," "Without a Trace" and the Freshman Comedy "The Big Bang Theory" Join Previously Announced '"Survivor" and "The Amazing Race"

Eight of the Top 20 Scripted Series on Television to Return

CBS has renewed 11 series for next season in a move that will return 10 hours of the Network's primetime schedule and eight of the top 20 scripted series on television.

The 11 series are COLD CASE, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, CSI: MIAMI, CSI: NY, GHOST WHISPERER, NCIS, NUMB3RS, freshman comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY, TWO AND A HALF MEN and WITHOUT A TRACE. They join the previously announced SURVIVOR, another top 20 program, and THE AMAZING RACE, which ranks among the top 30.

? COLD CASE is averaging 12.38 million viewers. COLD CASE is produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, Meredith Stiehm and Veena Sud are executive producers.

? CRIMINAL MINDS is Wednesday's top scripted program in viewers, averaging 14.06 million viewers in its competitive Wednesday (9:00-10:00 PM) time period. CRIMINAL MINDS is produced by ABC Studios in association with CBS Paramount Network Television. Mark Gordon, Ed Bernero and Deb Spera are executive producers.

? CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION remains Thursday's Number One program with a weekly audience of 17.78 million viewers. CSI is produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Jerry Bruckheimer, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue, Anthony E. Zuiker, Naren Shankar, Jonathan Littman, William Petersen, Cynthia Chvatal and Ken Fink are executive producers.

? CSI: MIAMI is Monday's top scripted program, averaging 14.87 million viewers. CSI: MIAMI is produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Jerry Bruckheimer, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony E. Zuiker and Jonathan Littman are executive producers.

? CSI: NY is the Number One program in its time period in viewers and key demographics, averaging 12.87 million viewers. CSI: NY is produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony E. Zuiker, Jonathan Littman, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue, Pam Veasey and Peter Lenkov are executive producers.

? GHOST WHISPERER has placed first in its Friday (8:00-9:00 PM) time period in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 every week this season with first run episodes while averaging 9.18 million viewers. GHOST WHISPERER is produced by Sander/Moses Productions in association with ABC Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television. Ian Sander, Kim Moses, John Gray and P.K. Simonds are executive producers.

? NCIS has become a top 10 program in its fifth season, averaging 15.65 million viewers, while remaining impervious to tough reality competition including "American Idol." NCIS is produced by Belisarius Productions in association with CBS Paramount Network Television. Chas. Floyd Johnson, Shane Brennan and Donald Bellisario are executive producers.

? NUMB3RS has placed first in its time period in viewers (9.36m) and key demographics in 11 of its last 12 original broadcasts. NUMB3RS is produced by Scott Free Productions in association with CBS Paramount Network Television. Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Ken Sanzel, David W. Zucker, Nicolas Falacci, Cheryl Heuton and Don McGill are executive producers.

? THE BIG BANG THEORY, in its freshman season, is averaging 8.36 million viewers and, with original episodes, has improved the year ago Monday (8:30-9:00 PM) time period by +15% in adults 18-49 and +5% in viewers. THE BIG BANG THEORY is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Lee Aronsohn are executive producers.

? TWO AND A HALF MEN is television's #1 comedy, averaging 13.6 million viewers. TWO AND A HALF MEN is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. and the Tannenbaum Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn, Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum, Mark Burg and Oren Koules are executive producers.

? WITHOUT A TRACE successfully returned to its Thursday (10:00-11:00 PM) time period, winning the hour with an average of 13.72 million viewers while also placing first in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. WITHOUT A TRACE is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television, in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Paramount Network Television. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, Hank Steinberg, Greg Walker, Jan Nash and David Amann are executive producers.

Last month, CBS announced that SURVIVOR would return for its 17th and 18th editions and THE AMAZING RACE will be back with its 13th edition.