CBS - APRIL MADNESS?

With all No. 1 seeds making it to the Final Four in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, CBS is hoping that ratings for March Madness will be given a significant lift in April. They are down an average of 7 percent from the same number of games a year ago. In a conference call on Monday, CBS Sports officials blamed the number of "blowout" games that appeared settled long before the end of the broadcasts for the audience erosion -- something that is not expected to happen with the top teams vying for the championship. Meanwhile, without basketball Monday night, CBS scored strongly with its old stalwarts Two and a Half Men, which drew an 8.7 rating and a 13 share, and CSI: Miami, which posted a 10.1/17. The New Adventures of Old Christine also had one of its best nights, drawing an 8.1/12. But a 90-minute edition of ABC's Dancing With the Stars wiped out all the competition as it averaged a 12.9/20. In the end, ABC drew the most viewers overall for the night; CBS drew the most viewers among adults 18-49.

01/04/2008