Preliminary Ratings: Tuesday 09/23/14

NBC and CBS once again split the night, with CBS's crime dramas generating the most viewers and NBC's programs attracting the most young adults. ABC is easily the #3 network, while FOX looks to be no threat, to anyone, on Tuesday nights.

NBC's THE VOICE commanded a 4.0 rating in Adults 18-49, the top draw of the night, along with 13 million viewers. It is the only program of the night to achieve both a 3.0 and 4.0 demo rating. Year-to-year, the series is down 1.4 million viewers and 15% in the demo. However, it is up, slightly, from the previous night's episode.

CHICAGO FIRE may have been a close second place in total viewers, at 10 p.m., but had an easy time winning the time slot in the A18-49 ratings. It was 50% larger than PERSON OF INTEREST's A18-49 number and looks to be the show to beat for the time slot.

CBS' numbers for the first Tuesday night of the season are down, across the board. All three dramas are down about a half a ratings point each, in the demo ratings. Only NCIS: NEW ORLEANS was able to draw more viewers, from its year ago time slot holder (NCIS: LA).

ABC is a solid third place on the night, but both AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. and DANCING WITH THE STARS are off from year ago totals. SHIELD is down roughly 60% from last year's series premiere. The only good news on the night is FOREVER holding onto 100% of it's series premiere rating, in the A18-49 demo, from the previous night, and seeing growth in the year-to-year numbers, from last Year's time slot holder, LUCKY 7. FOREVER may not be an early cancellation like most thought.

FOX is just a joke on Tuesday nights. Despite all original fall programs, it barely cracked two million viewers for the night and was a very distant 4th place. FOX's numbers were closer to the CW's repeat ratings than it was to ABC's ratings.

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

ABC - 7.2 million viewers, 1.8 rating in A18-49

CBS - 15.3 million viewers, 2.4 rating in A18-49

CW - 0.7 million viewers, 0.3 rating in A18-49

FOX - 2.1 million viewers, 1.0 rating in A18-49

NBC - 11.8 million viewers, 3.6 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Dancing With the Stars	9.60	1.6
9:00	ABC	Agents of SHIELD	5.60	1.9	-42%
10:00	ABC	Forever	6.50	1.7	16%
8:00	CBS	NCIS	18.00	2.9
9:00	CBS	NCIS: New Orleans	17.10	2.5	-5%
10:00	CBS	Person of Interest	10.70	1.8	-37%
8:00	CW	Arrow [R]	0.70	0.3
9:00	CW	Supernatural [R]	0.70	0.3	0%
8:00	FOX	Utopia	1.90	0.8
9:00	FOX	New Girl	2.30	1.3	21%
9:30	FOX	The Mindy Project	2.10	1.0	-9%
8:00	NBC	The Voice	13.00	4.0
10:00	NBC	Chicago Fire	9.40	2.7	-28%

* - in millions