CBS POSTS ITS HIGHEST RATED WEDNESDAY OF THE SEASON IN VIEWERS, ADULTS 18-49 AND ADULTS 25-54

CBS Wins The Night In Viewers And Adults 25-54; Very Competitive #2 In Adults 18-49

All Three Programs Posts Week-to-Week Gains

"Criminal Minds" Tops 9 PM Drama Competition in Viewers for the Third Consecutive Week and Beats "Bionic Woman" in Adults 18-49

"CSI: NY" Places First in Viewers and Key Demos

"Kid Nation" Posts Double Digit Percentage Week-to-Week Growth in all Key Measures and Remains the Number One Program in Children Demographics

CBS posted its highest rated Wednesday of the season in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 as all three of Network's programs posted growth versus last week, according to preliminary Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Oct. 17.

KID NATION (4.7/08, 7.42m) was first in children 6-11 (2.5/09), children 2-11 (1.9/07), while averaging a 2.4/07 in adults 18-49 and 2.7/07 in adults 25-54. Compared to last week, KID NATION was up +9% in households (from 4.3/07), +13% in adults 25-54 (from 2.4/07), +14% in adults 18-49 (from 2.1/06), +39% in children 6-11 (from 1.8/07), +12% in children 2-11 (from 1.7/07) and added +510,000 viewers (from 6.91m, +7%).

In the 9:00 PM competitive time period featuring four dramas, CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (9.4/15), viewers (14.87m), adults 25-54 (5.1/12) and second in adults 18-49 (3.9/10). Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +1% in households (from 9.3/14), even in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 and added +320,000 viewers (from 14.55m, +2%).

CSI: NY won its time period in households (9.0/15), viewers (13.86m), adults 25-54 (5.1/11) and adults 18-49 (4.1/11). Compared to last week, CSI: NY was up +2% in households (from 8.8/15), +6% in adults 25-54 (from 4.8/12), even in adults 18-49 and added +430,000 viewers (from 13.43m, +3%).

For the night, CBS was first in households (7.7/12), viewers (12.05m), adults 25-54 (4.3/11) and a solid second in adults 18-49 (3.5/09, -0.2 behind ABC). This is CBS's best delivery in households, viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 this season.

Updated Wednesday ratings will be available this afternoon.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]

CBS POSTS ITS HIGHEST RATED WEDNESDAY OF THE SEASON IN VIEWERS, ADULTS 18-49 AND ADULTS 25-54

CBS Wins The Night In Viewers And Adults 25-54; Very Competitive #2 In Adults 18-49

All Three Programs Post Week-to-Week Gains

"Criminal Minds" Tops 9 PM Drama Competition in Viewers for the Third Consecutive Week and Beats "Bionic Woman" in Adults 18-49

"CSI: NY" Places First in Viewers and Key Demos

"Kid Nation" Posts Double Digit Percentage Week-to-Week Growth in Key Measures and Remains the Number One Program in Children Demographics

CBS posted its highest rated Wednesday of the season in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 as all three of Network's programs posted growth versus last week, according to updated Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Oct. 17.

KID NATION (4.6/07, 7.35m) was first in children 6-11 (2.6/09), children 2-11 (1.9/07), while averaging a 2.4/07 in adults 18-49 and 2.7/07 in adults 25-54. Compared to last week, KID NATION was up +7% in households (from 4.3/07), +13% in adults 25-54 (from 2.4/07), +14% in adults 18-49 (from 2.1/06), +44% in children 6-11 (from 1.8/07), +12% in children 2-11 (from 1.7/07) and added +440,000 viewers (from 6.91m, +6%).

In the 9:00 PM competitive time period featuring four dramas, CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (9.5/15), viewers (15.03m), adults 25-54 (5.2/12) and second in adults 18-49 (4.0/10, -0.3 behind ABC). CRIMINAL MINDS was Wednesday's #1 program in households, viewers and tied with CSI: NY as the #1 program in adults 25-54. Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +2% in both households (from 9.3/14) and adults 25-54 (from 5.1/12), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.9/10) and added +480,000 viewers (from 14.55m, +3%). This is CRIMINAL MINDS's best viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 performances since March 21, 2007.

CSI: NY won its time period in households (9.0/15), viewers (13.99m), adults 25-54 (5.2/13) and adults 18-49 (4.1/11). Compared to last week, CSI: NY was up +2% in households (from 8.8/15), +8% in adults 25-54 (from 4.8/12), even in adults 18-49 and added +560,000 viewers (from 13.43m, +4%). This is CSI: NY's best viewers and adults 25-54 deliveries since February 28, 2007 and matching last week's adults 18-49 performance as the best since March 21, 2007.

For the night, CBS was first in households (7.7/12), viewers (12.12m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and a solid second in adults 18-49 (3.5/09, -0.2 behind ABC). This is CBS's best delivery in households, viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 this season.