CBS Ratings Up From Last Summer

With the return of two popular reality shows last week, CBS saw its ratings rise 17% over the same week last year, a sizable gain in the face of the other networks' dwindling numbers.

Variety.com (via Yahoo! News) is reporting that CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami took the first two slots last week, with CSI pulled in 14.83 million viewers, while Miami drew 14 million.

CBS saw its schedule further bolstered by the return of The Amazing Race and Big Brother, which both began their fifth seasons on Tuesday, July 6th. The 90 minute broadcast of The Amazing Race 5 was watched by 10.3 million people, while 9.55 million tuned in to watch the 90 minute opener of Big Brother 5.

The other broadcast networks have not faired as well this summer. Fox is off 9% in the ratings from this same time last year, and ABC, NBC, UPN, and the WB are down by 10%. Overall, the six nets combined are down 4% from last year in the 18-49 year-old category, though CBS itself is actually up by 4% in that demographic from the previous summer.

To read the original ratings story, please visit Variety.com (subscription required) or Yahoo! News.

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