TV Ratings: 'NCIS,' Michael Jackson specials and 'America's Got Talent' top Tuesday

Mark Harmon of 'NCIS'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

While three of the four networks attempted (sometimes with success) to wring one last ounce of ratings gold out of Michael Jackson's death, CBS won Tuesday overall with its procedural repeats, while NBC's "America's Got Talent" dominated the 18-49 demo.

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 2.2 rating, just ahead of the 1.9 rating for ABC and CBS' 1.7 rating. FOX was well back in fourth in the key demographic with a 0.8 rating, still better than the 0.4 rating for The CW.

Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 8.47 million viewers to go with a 5.7 rating/10 share. NBC's 4.4/8 and ABC's 4.2/7 were close behind. FOX was a distant fourth with a 1.5/3, topping the 0.7/1 for The CW.

Tuesday night's most-watched show was CBS' 8 p.m. repeat of "NCIS," which averaged 10.77 million viewers and a 7.0/13. The premiere of NBC's "Great American Road Trip" had a 3.0/6 for second, nipping the 2.7/5 for ABC's "Superstars." FOX's airing of the film "Legally Blonde 2" was fourth, beating the 0.7/1 for "90210" on The CW.

NBC won the 9 p.m. hour with the 6.2/10 for "America's Got Talent," which also had the evening's top demo tally with a 3.0 rating. CBS' "The Mentalist" was a close second with a 6.1/10. ABC's "20/20" special on Michael Jackson was third with a 4.0/7. FOX's movie had a 1.6/3 in its second hour, keeping The CW's "Hitched or Ditched" repeat in fifth.

ABC moved into first at 10 p.m. with the 6.0/10 for the special "Primetime: Family Secrets," also Jackson-centric. NBC's Jackson-centric "Dateline" was second with a 4.1/7, slightly ahead of the Jackson-centric "48 Hours Mystery" on CBS.

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