CBS's CRIMINAL MINDS Sweeps Its Time Period

Criminal Minds delivered its largest audience of the season opposite the premiere of "American Idol" while CSI: Crime Scene Investigation swept its time period, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Wednesday, Jan. 16.

CRIMINAL MINDS was second in households (8.1/12) and viewers (12.53m) and averaged 3.7/08 in adults 25-54 and 2.8/07 in adults 18-49. Compared to the last first-run episode (on Dec. 12, 2012), Criminal Minds added +520,000 viewers (from 12.01m, +4%). Criminal Minds posted its largest audience of the season opposite the premiere of "American Idol."

At 10:00 PM, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was first in households (7.3/12), viewers (11.10m), adults 25-54 (3.2/08) and adults 18-49 (2.3/06). CSI posted its second-best deliveries this season in both households and viewers as well as its best ratings in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 since Nov. 28, 2012.