CBS: four-for-four, five-for-five

CBS finished the first four weeks of the new season at the top of the ratings heap in demos, and now all five of its freshmen series have received full-season orders.

That’s a significant development these days, in a TV landscape in which some lower-rated shows never even see a second episode.

“Everything has clicked so far this year — from development in January, to scheduling in May, to production over the summer, to marketing and publicity in the fall,” said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment.  “It’s all testimony to the executives in our halls who remain restless for more success, and the amazing creative talent on our sets who continue to deliver the goods.”

HAWAII FIVE-0, television’s #1 new series, has won its Monday night time period in key demographics every week this season as well as four weeks in viewers. HAWAII FIVE-0 is averaging 14.15 million viewers and also ranks as the #1 DVR’d program on television.

BLUE BLOODS, the #2 new series, is Friday’s top program in viewers and adults 18-49, winning its time period in viewers and key demographics every week this season.

THE DEFENDERS, the #3 new drama on television, is averaging 11.33 million viewers.

MIKE & MOLLY, the #1 new comedy in viewers and key demographics, is averaging 12.27 million viewers in its highly competitive Monday night time period.

$#*! MY DAD SAYS ranks as the second highest rated new comedy in both viewers and adults 18-49, averaging 11.31 million viewers.

New show boosts daytime ratings for CBS

While soap fans are still mourning the loss of AS THE WORLD TURNS, early numbers show that its replacement, THE TALK, is giving CBS a boost in female viewers in the time slot.

Compared with one year ago, when the 54-year-old soap was on the air, Monday’s premiere episode provided a 22% boost in Women 25-54, a 29% jump in Women 18-49, and an increase of 67% for Women 18-34.

On Wednesday’s show, former South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford is scheduled to join hoses Julie Chen, Leah Remini, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, Sara Gilbert and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

THE TALK airs weekdays at 2:00pm on LIVE 5 WCSC.

NYT: CBS ‘on a roll’ in new season

CBS is a network that’s on a roll.

That’s according to a recent article over at the New York Times.  Here at Live 5 WCSC, a longtime CBS affiliate, we’re happy to agree with that.  But you probably already assumed that.

“So far, CBS has managed to avoid, on every night, across every hour of prime time, the kind of failure that has visited all of its main competitors,” the article begins.

But what’s really interesting, it adds, is that

A week of Y&R classic episodes

CBS’s THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS will air twice a day all this week, with an encore presentation of a classic episode airing in the show’s second slot at 2:00pm.

That 2:00pm slot was vacated last month by AS THE WORLD TURNS, which left the air after 54 years.  Next week, the slot will become the home of THE TALK, a talk show format featuring six moms discussing issues of the day in a program similar to ABC’s The View.

Here’s a look at what to expect in this week’s bonus episodes:

Telethon plans major changes

Major changes are ahead for the MDA Labor Day Telethon, the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced Thursday.

The annual event, which comedian Jerry Lewis has hosted for all of its 45 years on television, will be trimmed from a 21-hour to a 6-hour program.  The 2011 show is slated to air on Sunday night from 6:00pm until Midnight, and not air at all on Labor Day itself.

The change is being made, according to executives within MDA, to not only cut production costs, but increase the number of viewers.

Live 5 WCSC has carried the telethon for more than 30 years, with Ann McGill, Meteorologist Chad Watson and reporter Tracey Amick anchoring local updates from our studio.  Lewis and an assortment of co-hosts anchor the national broadcast from Las Vegas.