ABC - RATINGS REMAIN IN GUTTER AS SUMMER SEASON DRAWS TO AN END

RATINGS REMAIN IN GUTTER AS SUMMER SEASON DRAWS TO AN END

The broadcast networks are ending their summer season on a low note. In fact ratings for some shows were so low last week that they were easily bested by some cable fare. Once again, NBC's America's Got Talent took the top two positions on Nielsen's ratings chart. CBS took the remaining eight of the top ten, with reruns for all but No. 10, the reality show Big Brother. The networks evening newscasts drew bigger audiences than most of their entertainment programs, with NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams again taking the lead with 7.62 million viewers. ABC World News with Charles Gibson remained close behind with 7.14 million viewers, while the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric continued to trail with 5.44 million viewers.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research 1. America's Got Talent (Tuesday), NBC, 7.7/13; 2. America's Got Talent (Wednesday), NBC, 7.5/12; 3. NCIS (Tuesday 8 00 p.m.), CBS, 6.6/12; 4. Two and a Half Men , CBS, 5.6/9; 5. The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 5.4/9; 6. CSI Miami, CBS, 5.3/9; 7. The Mentalist , CBS, 5.1/9; 7. NCIS (Tuesday 10 00 p.m.), CBS, 5.1/9; 9. Criminal Minds , CBS, 5.0/8; 10. Big Brother 11 (Tuesday), CBS, 4.9/8.

10/09/2009