TV Ratings: CBS holds off the Golden Globes, '24' premiere on Sunday

 Shonn Greene of the New York Jets

Credit: Lenny Ignelzi/AP

Fast National ratings for Sunday, January 17, 2010.

Carried by overrun from a tight NFL playoff game between the Chargers and Jets, CBS dominated Sunday night's early hours. That NFL bump was all CBS needed to hold off a lackluster Golden Globes audience on NBC and so-so premieres for "Human Target" and "24" on FOX.

Among adults 18-49, CBS won Sunday with a 5.1 rating. NBC's 4.1 rating was second in the key demographic. FOX was a distant third with a 2.6 rating, nipping the 2.5 rating for ABC.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 17.8 million viewers to go with a 10.5 rating/16 share. NBC's 7.7/12 finished second, with ABC's 5.1/8 good for third. FOX was fourth with a 4.8/7.

CBS started the night well out in front with a 19.4/31 for the end of the Jets' upset win over the Chargers, which also did an 11.3 rating in the key demo. NBC's Golden Globe Red Carpet coverage was second with a 5.8/9. ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was third, beating the 2.3/4 for an encore of last season's "24" premiere (not at all the NFL bump FOX had been hoping for before CBS landed the late game).

In the 8 p.m. hour, "60 Minutes" kept CBS in first with a 10.0/15. NBC's Golden Globes improved to an 8.8/13 and won the hour in the demo with a 4.9 rating. Given that it had no lead-in, the 5.8/9 for FOX's "Human Target" wasn't so bad, with a 2.9 demo rating and improvement at the half-hour. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" repeat was third.

NBC moved into first at 9 p.m. with an 8.3/12 for "The Golden Globes," which also did a 4.6 demo rating. ABC's new "Desperate Housewives" took a hit and fell to a 6.9/10, far behind the show's usual tallies. CBS finished third with "Cold Case." On FOX, the first hour of the two-hour "24" premiere did a 6.4/10 and a 3.9 rating in the demo.

The Golden Globes had an 8.0/13 for NBC in the 10 p.m. hour, doing a 4.5 rating in the demo. CBS' repeat of "NCIS" beat the 5.4/9 for a new "Brothers & Sisters" on ABC. FOX's "24" totals aren't included in regular primetime numbers, but the network will presumably make those figures available later in the day.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, especially in the case of live events.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

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A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.