Preliminary Ratings: Wednesday 03/17/2016

CBS swept the Wednesday night ratings, edging out ABC for the win. The network had a respectable premiere of the spin-off series, CRIMINAL MINDS: BEYOND BORDERS, as it collected 8.7 million viewers and a 1.6 rating in Adults 18-49. That held 90% of the audience of its lead in and 85% of the A18-49 demo. Compared to the season finale of former time slot occupant, CODE BLACK, CM: BYOND BORDERS increased total viewership by 1.9 million viewers and a jump of 33% in the A18-49 demographic. Both SURVIVOR and CRIMINAL MINDS were up from their last original episodes.

The Spring premiere of NASHVILLE did not get off to a great start, with just 4.3 million viewers and a 0.9 rating int he A18-49 demo. It barely topped an encore of CHICAGO PD, during the 10 PM hour. On the positive side, it is up, slightly from its fall finale ratings, adding one tenth of a point in the A18-49 demographic and a total of 150,000 more viewers.

FOX barely edged an encore filled NBC for third place. ROSEWOOD was the lowest rated original program of the evening. Despite the poor lead in, HELL'S KITCHEN was able to grow the demos by an average of about 20 percent.

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

	Total viewers	A18-34	A18-49	A25-54
ABC	6.10 million	1.0	1.6	2.2
CBS	8.90 million	1.0	1.9	2.7
CW	1.10 million	0.3	0.3	0.4
FOX	3.70 million	0.7	1.0	1.4
NBC	4.30 million	0.6	0.9	1.2

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-34	A18-49	A25-54
8:00	ABC	The Middle	7.11	1.0	1.7	2.3
8:30	ABC	The Goldbergs	6.70	1.1	1.9	2.5
9:00	ABC	Modern Family	8.10	1.6	2.5	3.2
9:30	ABC	Black-ish	6.20	1.1	1.9	2.5
10:00	ABC	Nashville (WP)	4.30	0.6	0.9	1.3
8:00	CBS	Survivor	9.40	1.2	2.1	3.0
9:00	CBS	Criminal Minds	9.70	1.0	1.9	2.7
10:00	CBS	Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (SP)	8.70	0.8	1.6	2.3
8:00	CW	Arrow [R]	1.20	0.3	0.3	0.4
9:00	CW	Supernatural [R]	0.90	0.2	0.2	0.3
8:00	FOX	Rosewood	3.70	0.6	0.9	1.2
9:00	FOX	Hell's Kitchen	3.70	0.7	1.1	1.5
8:00	NBC	Law & Order[R]	4.60	0.6	0.9	1.2
10:00	NBC	Law & Order[R]	4.20	0.7	0.9	1.2
10:30	NBC	Chicago PD [R]	4.00	0.5	0.8	1.1

* - in millions