TV Ratings: Kennedy Center Honors Rise Against Wednesday Repeats

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CBS led in adults 18-49 (1.5 rating) and total viewers (8.3 million) on Wednesday night, thanks to a strong encore of Criminal Minds (1.7 adults) and the 35th annual Kennedy Center Honors. The kudos, taped earlier in the month, were up 27 percent from 2011's Tuesday broadcast during the holiday week and averaged a 1.4 adults rating over the two-hour broadcast.

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A block of encores (Whitney, Guys With Kids, Law & Order, Chicago Fire) brought in a 1.1 adults rating and 4.3 million viewers for NBC. Repeat competition on ABC (The Middle, Neighbors, Modern Family, Suburgatory, Nashville) pulled a 1.0 adults rating and 3.9 million viewers.

Fox's block of Ben and Kate repeats averaged a 0.7 adults rating and 1.5 million viewers, while the CW's broadcast of the movie Noel averaged a 0.4 in the demo and 1.57 million viewers.

Continuing its typically strong holiday-week performance, Univision outmatched all of the broadcast networks with a 1.7 adults rating on Wednesday night. It also pulled in 4.2 million viewers.