Primetime Broadcast Ratings August 27, 2008

For the second night in a row, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” claimed the top spot in Nielsen’s ranking of primetime broadcast TV programs.

The telecast drew an average audience of 10.3 million viewers, while CBS’s “Criminal Minds” and FOX’s special presentation of “Bones” were ranked second and third, respectively, with 6.9 million and almost 6.1 million average viewers each.

Coverage of the third night of the Democratic National Convention on NBC, CBS, and ABC also made the top ten.

RANK	NAME	NETWORK	VIEWERS (P2+)
1	AMERICA’S GOT TALENT-WED	NBC	10,344,000
2	CRIMINAL MINDS	CBS	6,930,000
3	BONES SP-8/27 9P(S)-08/27/2008	FOX	6,056,000
4	GREATEST AMERICAN DOG	CBS	5,683,000
5	BONES SP-8/27 8P(S)-08/27/2008	FOX	5,639,000
6	DECISION ’08 DEM CONV WED(S)-08/27/2008	NBC	5,464,000
7	AL DIABLO CON GUAPOS WED	UNI	4,985,000
8	FUEGO EN LA SANGRE WED	UNI	4,930,000
9	CAMPAIGN 2008-DEM CONV-WE(S)-08/27/2008	CBS	3,535,000
10	VOTE2008:DEM NAT CONV-WED(S)-08/27/2008	ABC	3,483,000
Source: The Nielsen Company (August 27, 2008)

Overall, NBC won the night with an average audience of nearly 8.7 million viewers, while FOX took second place with 5.8 million average viewers. CBS and Univision claimed third and fourth places — with just over 5.3 million and 4.3 million average viewers, respectively. ABC followed in fifth place with an average audience of almost 3.3 million viewers.