CBS and 'Idol' finish at the top for the season

CBS' status as the nation's most-watched prime-time network for the seventh time in the past eight years isn't in doubt. The network averaged nearly 2 million viewers a night more than Fox, the second-place finisher, in results through Sunday night, the Nielsen Co. said.

Fox's "American Idol" was the nation's favorite program for the seventh year in a row. Its Tuesday edition averaged 24.9 million viewers, and Wednesday had 23.4 million. Next came ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" at 19.7 million, although the dance show has beaten "Idol" three of the past four weeks.

The most popular scripted program of the year was CBS' "NCIS," its first victory in seven seasons on the air.

Two of the three most popular new programs followed "NCIS" on CBS' Tuesday night schedule: "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "The Good Wife." CBS' "Undercover Boss" was the third.

CBS, NBC and Fox each had more prime-time viewers this season than the last one. But take sports out of the equation, and each network saw its audience shrink.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

1 Dancing With the Stars, Mon. (ABC)

3 American Idol, Tue. (Fox)

4 NCIS (CBS)

5 NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)

6 Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

7 The Mentalist (CBS)

9 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)

10 Lost: The End (ABC)

11 Two and a Half Men (CBS)

12 Criminal Minds (CBS)

13 Dancing With the Stars, Tue. (ABC)

15 Glee (Fox)

16 CSI: NY (CBS)

17 House (Fox)

18 CSI: Miami (CBS)

19 Lost (ABC)