As usual, CBS was the most-watched television network last week, and its long-running drama NCIS was the most-watched television show. However, it came in second to Fox in the 18-49 age group, the demographic group that advertisers prefer. Back among the top-ten shows -- this time without a football overrun to pump up its numbers -- was CBS's Sunday magazine show 60 Minutes , which featured an hour-long tribute to former correspondent Mike Wallace, who died the previous week at the age of 93. Impressively, the show's ratings among younger viewers were up a whopping 14 percent (up 23 percent among adults 35-54. In a news release, CBS observed that the show, which has traditionally been strong among viewers 54+, has been trending younger this season. ABC's Dancing With The Stars once again engaged in a tight race with American Idol , coming out ahead in households but slightly behind in the actual number of viewers. Among the evening newscasts it was the usual lineup with NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams holding on to the lead with 81.60 million viewers. ABC World News with Diane Sawyer placed second with 72.03 million viewers, while the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley continued its slow advance with 59.43 million. For the week, led with a 5.8 average household rating and a 10 share. Fox and ABC tied for second with a 4.8/8, while NBC trailed with a 3.4/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research 1. NCIS , CBS, 11.0/18; 2. Dancing with the Stars (Monday), ABC, 10.6/16; 3. American Ido l (Wednesday), Fox, 10.0/16; 4. American Idol (Thursday), Fox, 9.7/16; 5. Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday), ABC, 8.9/13; 6. NCIS Los Angeles , CBS, 8.3/13; 7. Criminal Minds , CBS, 7.5/11; 8. 60 Minutes , CBS, 7.2/13; 9. Body of Proof , ABC, 6.7/11; 10. The Good Wife , CBS, 6.6/10; 10. Hawaii Five-0 , CBS, 6.6/11.

18/04/2012