"CSI" IS THURSDAY'S MOST WATCHED PROGRAM, WITH MORE VIEWERS THAN "AMERICAN IDOL," FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK

"Without a Trace" Tops the Combined Competition in Viewers and Key Demographics

"Survivor: Panama -- Exile Island" Is a Solid Second Opposite The Final Thursday Edition of "American Idol"

CBS Wins the Night in Viewers and Adults 25-54

CSI, with an audience of 27.20 million viewers, was Thursday's most watched program, with more viewers than "American Idol" (26.29m) for the second consecutive week, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings for March 9.

From 9:00-10:00PM, CSI finished first in households (16.7/25), viewers (27.20m), adults 25-54 (11.1/25), adults 18-49 (8.8/22) and adults 18-34 (5.9/16).

At 10:00PM, WITHOUT A TRACE won its time period in households (13.3/22), viewers (20.33m), adults 25-54 (8.3/21), adults 18-49 (6.6/18) and adults 18-34 (4.6/14). WITHOUT A TRACE beat the competition combined in households (vs. 10.3/17, +29%), viewers (vs. 14.46m, +41%), adults 25-54 (vs. 6.5/16, +28%), adults 18-49 (vs. 5.5/15, +20%) and adults 18-34 (vs. 4.4/14, +5%).

SURVIVOR: PANAMA -- EXILE ISLAND was a solid second in its time period, behind "American Idol Thursday" (S) in households (9.0/14), viewers (15.33m), adults 25-54 (6.6/15), adults 18-49 (5.3/14) and adults 18-34 (3.4/10).

For the night, CBS was first in households (13.0/20), viewers (20.96m), adults 25-54 (8.7/21) and second in adults 18-49 (6.9/18, -0.2 behind FOX) and adults 18-34 (4.6/13).

Final Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.