'CSI,' NFL keep CBS aloft
Network wins weak week in primetime
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The four major broadcast nets combined for an average audience of 28 million viewers during primetime, down sharply from the previous week's 40 million and easily the smallest tune-in since late August.
Week featured a smattering of firstrun programs, especially early in the week, but consisted almost exclusively of repeats and annual holiday movies the rest of the way.
In a rarity, a cable program -- ESPN's "Monday Night Football" between the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals -- stood as the top demo draw for the week, averaging a 5.6 rating/15 share in adults 18-49 and a 5.9/15 in adults 25-54.
It was also the No. 2 telecast in total viewers (14.22 million), lagging only NBC's original edition of "Deal or No Deal" on Monday (15.37 million).
According to in-home viewing estimates by Nielsen, CBS finished on top for the Dec. 18-24 frame with a 2.5 rating/8 share in adults 18-49, followed closely by NBC (2.4/7). ABC and Fox tied for third (2.0/6), with Univision fifth (1.4/4).
The Eye also won in adults 25-54 (3.1/9 to 2.8/8 for NBC) and remained perfect for the season in total viewers (8.9 million, vs. 7.3 million for runner-up NBC).
Repeats of all three editions of the "CSI" franchise ranked among the week's top 10 shows in both demos and total viewers, with Thursday's original (3.8/11. 12.95m) and Wednesday's "NY" (3.8/11, 12.14m) both winning their timeslots with ease.
What put the Eye over the top, though, was Sunday's 45-minute NFL overrun (6.9/29 in 18-49, 20.52m) as both the Denver-Cincinnati and San Diego-Seattle contests went down to the wire.
NBC played some games of its own during the frame, with Monday's "Deal or No Deal" (4.4/12 in 18-49, 15.37m) and the premiere of the new "Identity" (4.4/11, 12.26m) tying as the No. 2 program for the week in 18-49.
"Identity" won four of its five nights, with its best numbers after its Monday bow coming on Wednesday (3.0/9, 8.76m). Show is a candidate to return at midseason (Daily Variety, Dec. 27).
ABC had another quiet week, with its few firstrun programs -- including Monday drama "What About Brian" (2.0/5, 4.58m) and Tuesday comedy "Big Day" (1.8/5, 5.06m) -- failing to make much noise.
Net was the leader on Saturday, though, with its annual airing of "The Sound of Music" (2.4/8, 8.34m).
Fox was paced by Tuesday's repeat of "House" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 10.11m), the week's No. 1 scripted telecast among adults 18-49. Among firstrun shows, "The War at Home" (1.8/5, 4.32m) didn't do a whole lot on its new night, Thursday, but it did retain nearly all of its lead-in from "'Til Death" (1.9/6, 4.94m).
Univision's "La Fea Mas Bella" averaged 1.8 million adults 18-34 in the 8 o'clock hour from Monday to Friday to beat all of the major nets.
ESPN dominated the week in cable thanks to "Monday Night Football" and a college football game on Sunday between Hawaii and Arizona State (1.2/4 in 18-49, 3.50m).
Of note on Christmas Eve was the start of TBS' 10th annual "24 Hours of A Christmas Story," as the first of 12 airings of the popular pic averaged a sturdy 1.8/6 in 18-49 and 4.74 million viewers overall from 8 to 10 p.m. The second airing also did well from 10 to midnight (1.6/7, 3.58m).
