The 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV Scores Highest Overnight Ratings in 20 Years for First Thursday

CBS Sports' and Turner Sports' exclusive second-round coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV on Thursday, March 17 combined to deliver an overnight household rating/share of 5.7/13 up 24% from a 4.6/11 for CBS Sports' 2010 coverage, according to Nielsen.

The 5.7/13 was the highest rating for the first Thursday of the NCAA Tournament in the metered markets since 1991, when the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day.

The first telecast window of the day (12:00 NOON-4:15 PM, ET) combined to earn a 4.4/15, up +42% from a 3.1/10 last year.

The second window of the day (3:00-6:45 PM, ET) delivered a 5.1/13, up +46% from a 3.5/10 last year.

The third telecast window of the day (7:00-9:45 PM, ET) delivered a 6.5/12, up +8% from a 6.0/11 in 2010.

The final window of the day, (9:15 PM-12:30 AM, ET) earned a 6.9/13, up +13% from a 6.1/12 last year.

THE 2011 NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON TBS, CBS, TNT AND truTV DELIVERS 5.0 U.S. HH RATING AND 7.4 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS

Most Watched in 20 Years for First Thursday

CBS Sports and Turner Sports' exclusive second-round coverage of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV on Thursday, March 17 combined to deliver an average fast national household rating/share of 5.0 U.S. HH rating/12.2 share, up 19% over CBS Sports' 2010 coverage, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV averaged 7.4 million total viewers, up 16% over CBS Sports' 2010 viewership.

The 7.4 million total viewers was the most-watched for the first Thursday of the NCAA Tournament since 1991, when the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day.

The first telecast window of the day (12:00 NOON-4:15 PM, ET) combined to earn a 3.8 U.S. HH rating/13.6 share, up +36% from a 2.8/10.1 last year.

The second window of the day (3:00-6:45 PM, ET) delivered a 4.4 U.S. HH rating/13.0 share, up +47% from a 3.0/9.1 last year.

The third telecast window of the day (7:00-9:45 PM, ET) delivered a 5.8 U.S. HH rating/11.2 share, up +2% from a 5.7/10.6 last year.

The final window of the day (9:15 PM-12:30 AM, ET) earned a 5.9 U.S. HH rating/11.1 share, up +5% from a 5.6/11.2 last year.

The coverage also had double-digit growth in key adult and male demos across the four windows over 2010, including:

A18-34 +29% (1,917 vs. 1,490)

A18-49 +13% (3,508 vs. 3,095)

A25-54 +12% (3,539 vs. 3,171)

M18-34 +31% (1,392 vs. 1,064)

M18-49 +17% (2,518 vs. 2,159)

M25-54 +17% (2,504 vs. 2,138)

Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Fast National Data, Live +SD data stream. 3/17/11 vs 3/18/10. 2011 averages based on weighted average of 4 telecast gross across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Historical audiences, CBS 1991 through 2005 based on Live data. 2006 through 2010 based on Live + SD. 2003 based on CBS / ESPN average of First Round.