CBS'S 12th CONSECUTIVE WEEKLY VICTORY LIFTS NETWORK TO YEAR-TO-YEAR GAINS

Network Audience Grows 1% Over First 13 Weeks of Last Season

CBS is Also #1 For the Week (and Season) in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

CBS Wins 32 of 44 Prime Time Half Hours (73%)

Network Commands 9 of the Top 10 Programs Including #1 "NCIS" and #2 "The Mentalist;" 7 of 10 in Adults 18-49

CBS Attracts its Largest Tuesday Audience Since 1995

"The Big Bang Theory," "How I Met Your Mother," "Worst Week," "NCIS" and "The Mentalist" Deliver Series Highs; "Without a Trace" and "Two and a Half Men" Post Season High Deliveries

With its sixth consecutive week of year-to-year gains, CBS is now the only network to improve upon last year's performance as the Network's dominating 12th straight weekly victory moved CBS into positive year-to-year territory in viewers, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Dec. 21, week 13 of the 2008-2009 television year.

Season-to-date compared to last season, CBS is the only broadcast network to post gains in viewers (12.02m from 11.87m, +1%). In week 13, compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +25% in households, +30% in viewers, +24% in adults 25-54 and +17% in adults 18-49. CBS has posted weekly gains in viewers for the sixth consecutive week.

CBS also placed first in adults 18-49 for the second straight week (7th of the season) and first in adults 25-54 for the eighth consecutive week.

CBS won 32 of prime time's 44 half hours in viewers (73%) while commanding 9 of the week's Top 10 programs including #1 NCIS and #2 THE MENTALIST. THE BIG BANG THEORY, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, WORST WEEK, NCIS and THE MENTALIST all hit series highs while WITHOUT A TRACE and TWO A HALF MEN achieved season high ratings.

For the week in viewers: CBS (11.20m), NBC (7.51m), FOX (6.09m) and ABC (5.10m). Season-to-date, CBS is first in viewers (12.02m), ahead of ABC (9.85m), NBC (7.99m) and FOX (7.84m).

For the week in key demographics: CBS was first in adults 25-54 (3.6/09) and adults 18-49 (2.7/08). CBS was first in adults 25-54 for the eighth consecutive week and 11th time this season. CBS was first in adults 18-49 for the third time in four weeks, fourth time in sixth weeks and seventh time this season. Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

For the week in households: CBS (7.0/12), NBC (4.7/08), ABC (3.8/06) and FOX (3.2/05). Season-to-date, CBS is first (7.5/12), ahead of ABC (6.3/10), NBC (5.0/08) and FOX (4.8/08).

CBS's Weekly Highlights:

-- On Monday, CBS was first in households (8.3/13), viewers (13.61m), adults 25-54 (5.3/12) and adults 18-49 (4.3/11). This is CBS's best Monday delivery in households, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Sept. 22, 2008, best viewer delivery (excluding NCAA Championship Mondays) since Feb. 26, 2007. CBS won the last six Mondays in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

? THE BIG BANG THEORY was first in households (6.7/10), viewers (11.22m), adults 25-54 (4.8/12), adults 18-49 (4.1/11) and adults 18-34 (3.4/10). This is THE BIG BANG THEORY's best delivery ever in households, viewers, adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

? HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was first in households (6.7/10), viewers (11.37m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12), adults 18-49 (4.6/11) and adults 18-34 (4.2/11). HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER posted series highs in both adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, best households performance since Feb. 5, 2007, best viewers delivery since Jan. 9, 2006 and best adults 25-54 performance since March 24, 2008.

? TWO AND A HALF MEN was first in households (10.6/16), viewers (17.92m), adults 25-54 (7.2/16) and adults 18-49 (5.6/13). This is TWO AND A HALF MEN's best delivery in households and adults 18-49 since Feb. 5, 2007 (the night after the Super Bowl), adults 25-54 since Feb. 27, 2006 and viewers since May 16, 2005 (the night of the "Everybody Loves Raymond" finale). This is the largest audience for TWO AND HALF MEN in the 9:00 PM time slot.

? WORST WEEK was first in households (7.3/11), viewers (12.04m), adults 25-54 (4.6/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.6/08). This is the best households and viewers deliveries for WORST WEEK to date, best adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 performances since the Sept. 22, 2008 series premiere.

-- CBS won Tuesday night in households (10.9/17), viewers (17.91m), adults 25-54 (5.4/13) and second in adults 18-49 (3.8/10, -0.1 behind NBC). This is CBS's best delivery with all regularly scheduled programming on Tuesday since December 29, 1998 in households (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE "The Bodyguard"), March 14, 2006 in adults 25-54 (NCIS/THE UNIT/THE AMAZING RACE), March 28, 2006 in adults 18-49 (NCIS/THE UNIT/THE AMAZING RACE) and February 28, 1995 in viewers (RESCUE 911/CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "Children of the Dust" Part 2).

? NCIS won its time slot in households (11.9/19), viewers (19.94m), adults 25-54 (5.7/14) and second in adults 18-49 (4.0/11, -0.1 behind NBC's finale of "The Biggest Loser"). NCIS posted its best ever delivery in households and viewers, best adults 25-54 performance since Oct. 16, 2007 and matched season high adults 18-49 delivery.

? THE MENTALIST won its time slot in households (11.6/18), viewers (19.31m), adults 25-54 (6.1/14) and second in adults 18-49 (4.2/11). This is the best delivery ever for THE MENTALIST in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49, matches the best ever in households. This is the second consecutive first-run broadcast THE MENTALIST hit series highs in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49. This is CBS's largest audience for a first run regularly scheduled program in this time period since February 28, 1995 (CBS TUESDAY MOVIE: "Children of the Dust" Part 2).

? WITHOUT A TRACE won its time slot in households (9.2/16), viewers (14.48m), adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). This is WITHOUT A TRACE's best delivery in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 this season.

-- On Wednesday, CBS was first in households (7.7/13), viewers (11.96m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). CBS won the last five Wednesdays in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49. CBS was first Wednesday in every half-hour in both households and adults 25-54, won five of six half-hours in viewers. CBS won every half-hour in primetime in households and adults 25-54 for the third consecutive night, won 17 of 18 half-hours in viewers so far this week.

? CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (9.5/15), viewers (15.16m), adults 25-54 (5.5/13) and adults 18-49 (3.9/11). Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +2% in households (from 9.3/15), +8% in adults 25-54 (from 5.1/12), even in adults 18-49 and added +480,000 viewers (from 14.68m, +3%).

? CSI: NY was first in households (8.6/15), viewers (13.38m), adults 25-54 (4.8/12) and adults 18-49 (3.6/10). Compared to last week, CSI: NY was up +2% in adults 25-54 (from 4.7/12) and even in adults 18-49.

-- On Thursday, CBS was first in households (6.6/11), viewers (10.33m), adults 25-54 (3.2/08) and adults 18-49 (2.3/07). This is CBS's 11th consecutive Thursday night win in households, viewers and adults 25-54, 9th win in 11 weeks in adults 18-49. CBS was first Thursday in every half-hour in both households and viewers. CBS won every half-hour in primetime in households for the fourth consecutive night, won 23 of 24 half-hours in viewers so far this week.

-- On Friday, CBS was first in households (5.7/10), viewers (9.04m), adults 25-54 (2.9/08) and adults 18-49 (2.1/07). This is CBS's 11th win in 12 Fridays in households, viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

? GHOST WHISPERER was first in households (6.4/11), viewers (10.18m), adults 25-54 (3.5/10) and adults 18-49 (2.6/08).

? NUMB3RS was first in households (5.8/10), viewers (9.18m), adults 25-54 (2.9/08) and adults 18-49 (2.1/06).

CBS top programs of the week: #1 NCIS (an average of 19.94m viewers), #2 THE MENTALIST (19.31m), #4 TWO AND A HALF MEN (17.92m), #5 CRIMINAL MINDS (15.16m), #6 CSI: MIAMI (14.56m), #7 WITHOUT A TRACE (14.48m), #8 CSI: NY (13.38m), #9 60 MINUTES (13.13m), #10 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (R) (12.68m), #12 WORST WEEK (12.04m), #13 COLD CASE (12.01m), #15 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (11.37m), #16 THE BIG BANG THEORY (11.22m), #17 GHOST WHISPERER (10.18m), #18 ELEVENTH HOUR (R) (10.07m), #19 MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD (P) (9.58m), #22 NUMB3RS (9.18m), #24 THE UNIT (8.24m), #25 MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD (S) (8.20m) and #27 NUMBERS 9PM FRIDAY SPECIAL (R) (S) (7.76m).

Prime averages are based on the following hours of rated broadcasts in Week #13:

CBS: 22 hours

NBC: 21.5 hours

ABC: 22 hours

FOX: 15 hours