CBS Claims Victory for 2011-2012 Season

LOS ANGELES: Based on ratings through Sunday, CBS has declared itself the winner of the 2011-2012 season among all viewers, while FOX, thanks to American Idol, has retained its spot as the number one network among viewers 18 to 49.

CBS says it also tops the 25 to 54 rankings, and claims a second place win in 18 to 49 for the sixth consecutive year. Other season highlights for the network include having nine of the top ten dramas and six of the top ten comedies in 18 to 49. The network is also home to the top new series in viewers, Person of Interest, and 18 to 49, 2 Broke Girls. The season’s number one scripted program in all viewers is still NCIS, while the number one comedy is The Big Bang Theory. CBS has been the top-rated network in the U.S. nine times in the past ten years. CBS says its overall victory for the season is by the largest margin for any network in 23 years, with an average of 11.74 million viewers as compared with FOX’s 8.87 million.

FOX, meanwhile, tops the 18 to 49, 18 to 34 and 12 to 17 demos. In 18 to 49, the network boasts a 7-percent lead on its nearest competitor. American Idol is the season’s top show among 18 to 49 and total viewers for the ninth straight season. New Girl ranks as the season’s top new program among adults 18 to 34, FOX said. The network also has the youngest median age for regular telecasts (40) among the four major broadcast networks, nine years younger than NBC.

Touting its 2011-2012 season highlights, ABC says it is the only network that saw ratings gains in the 10 p.m. hour and that it showed the biggest improvement in total viewers, which was up 6 percent. It also hailed the ratings increases at several returning shows, among them Modern Family and Shark Tank. ABC also claims to be home to the top series for family co-viewing, with shows such as Wipeout, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon a Time and The Middle.