'HEROES' RETURNS AS MONDAY'S #1 SHOW IN ADULTS 18-49

SECOND-SEASON DEBUT OF 'HEROES' TOPS ITS YEAR-AGO SERIES PREMIERE BY 10 PERCENT IN 18-49

'CHUCK' OPENS WITH NBC'S TOP MONDAY 8-9 P.M. RATING SINCE APRIL 30

'JOURNEYMAN' OPENS AT #2 IN THE MONDAY 10 P.M. HOUR AND #1 AMONG MEN 18-34

BURBANK, Calif. � September 25, 2007 � The second-season debut of "Heroes" was Monday night's #1 show in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49, according to preliminary "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research. In the key 18-49 category, the season debut of "Heroes" jumped 10 percent above the show's series premiere last year on September 25, 2006.

Last night at 9 p.m. ET, "Heroes" (6.5 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49, 14.1 million viewers overall) returned as the night's #1 program in adults 18-49, topping such competition as ABC's season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars," CBS' season premieres of "Two and a Half Men" and "CSI: Miami" and Fox's "Prison Break."

"Heroes" delivered the highest 18-49 rating for any entertainment telecast on any network since the season finale of Fox's "House" on May 29.

"Heroes" won both its half-hours in adults 18-49, topping the final half-hour of "Dancing With the Stars" from 9-9:30 p.m. ET. Among adults 18-34, "Heroes" doubled its closest competition (7.3 vs. a 3.6 for ABC's "Dancing"/"Bachelor" combo). Among men 18-34, "Heroes" tripled its closest competitor (7.8 vs. a 2.5 for CBS's comedies).

This marks the top-scoring episode of "Heroes" in both 18-49 and total viewers since March 5. Versus its year-ago series-debut 18-49 results (a 5.9/14 on September 25, 2006), "Heroes" grew by 10 percent.

At 8 p.m. ET, the series premiere of "Chuck" (3.6/9 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) scored NBC's highest 18-49 rating in this time period since April 30. Pending updates, "Chuck" ranked #2 in the time period in 18-49 and total viewers and #1 in all key adult male demographics, versus competition that included the season premiere of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," the season premiere of CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" and the series premiere of "The Big Bang Theory," and Fox's "Prison Break." Versus NBC's average in this time period last May, when the competition also included ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," "Chuck" was up 16 percent in 18-49 (3.6 vs. 3.1).

"Chuck" built by 18 percent in 18-49 rating from its first to its second half-hour (to a 3.9/10 from a 3.3/9).

At 10 p.m. ET, the premiere of "Journeyman" (3.7/9 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall) improved on NBC's performance in this time period for last May's sweep by 37 percent in 18-49 (3.7 vs. 2.7) and by 44 percent in total viewers (9.5 million vs. 6.6 million). Pending updates, "Journeyman" ranked #2 in the hour in adults 18-49 and #1 among men 18-34.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for Monday night are: ABC, 4.7/12; NBC, 4.6/11; CBS, 4.2/10; Fox, 2.7/7; CW, 0.7/2. In overall total viewers, September 24 preliminary results are: ABC, 15.4 million; CBS, 12.2 million; NBC, 11.0 million; Fox, 6.7 million; CW, 1.7 million

In local-market late-night results last night, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (4.3 rating, 11 share in metered-market households) defeated CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" (3.4/9), and ABC's "Nightline" (3.2/8) and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.5/5 with an encore telecast).

At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1.9/7) beat CBS' "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.7/6) and the second half of Kimmel.

Note that all national ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated. Metered-market household ratings are live only.