NCIS AND THE MENTALIST LEAD CBS TO TUESDAY WIN IN VIEWERS AND ADULTS 25-54

Time Period-Winning Dramas Are the Top Two Programs of the Night

NCIS and THE MENTALIST, delayed one-hour due to CBS News' coverage of President Obama's press conference, delivered Tuesday's two largest audiences for entertainment programming, leading CBS to a nightly win in viewers and adults 25-54 according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for March 24.

Editor's note: Ratings for CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX are tentative and subject to change.

At 9:00 PM, NCIS at 9:00 PM was first in households (11.2/17), viewers (17.54m), adults 25-54 (5.4/12) and adults 18-49 (3.9/10). This is NCIS's best delivery in households, viewers and adults 18-49 since February 24, 2009, best adults 25-54 performance since February 10, 2009.

At 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST was first in households (11.2/18), viewers (17.53m), adults 25-54 (5.4/13) and second in adults 18-49 (3.8/10). This is THE MENTALIST's best delivery in households, viewers and adults 25-54 since February 17, 2009 and adults 18-49 since February 10, 2009.

From 9:00-11:00 PM, CBS was first in households (11.2/18), viewers (17.53m), adults 25-54 (5.4/10) and second in adults 18-49 (3.9/10, -0.2 behind NBC).

Updated ratings for Tuesday will be available this afternoon.