CBS’s “Criminal Minds” and “CSI: NY” were the number one and two-ranked primetime telecasts on
broadcast TV for Wednesday, December 17, 2008, drawing approximately 15.2 and 13.4 million average viewers, respectively.
NBC’s “Muppets Christmas Letter to Santa” special rounded out the top three, with 7.5 million average viewers.

Rank
Program
Network
Viewers (P2+)

1
CRIMINAL MINDS
CBS
15,160,000

2
CSI: NY
CBS
13,377,000

3
MUPPETS XMAS LTR TO SANTA(S)-12/17/2008
NBC
7,466,000

4
GARY UNMARRIED
CBS
7,378,000

5
OLD CHRISTINE
CBS
7,292,000

6
LAW AND ORDER
NBC
7,016,000

7
SECRET MLNR SP-12/17 8P(S)-12/17/2008
FOX
6,709,000

8
PRIVATE PRACTICE
ABC
6,610,000

9
LIFE
NBC
5,216,000

10
DIRTY SEXY MONEY
ABC
5,129,000

Source: The Nielsen Company (December 17, 2008).

Overall, CBS won the night with an average audience of almost 12 million viewers,
while NBC took second place with almost 6.6 million average …