WHERE DID ALL THE YOUNG VIEWERS GO?

In an unusual week that, according to published reports, saw the fewest 18-49-year-old viewers watching the broadcast networks in history, Univision's Spanish-language telenovela Mañana Para Siempre (Forever Tomorrow) placed five episodes in the top 20 among younger viewers. A rerun of CBS's NCIS, which drew more viewers than any other show on television, did not even land in the top 20 in the adults 18-49 demo. Among overall viewers CBS captured nine of the top 10 shows and 16 of the top 20, averaging a 4.7 rating and a 9 share. It was the only network showing an increase in viewers (9 percent) from the comparable week a year ago. Each of the other English-language broadcasters showed massive declines. NBC, which placed second for the week, was down 26 percent from last year with an average 3.1/6. Fox was down 21 percent with a 3.0/6, while ABC's audience dropped a whopping 33 percent as it wound up with a dismal 2.4/4 for the week, to place last.

{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:

NCIS, CBS, 7.0/13; 2. Two and a Half Men, CBS, 6.5/11; 3. The Mentalist (Tuesday), CBS, 6.7/11; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 6.4/11; 5. The Mentalist, CBS, 6.1/11; 6. So You Think You Can Dance(Wednesday), Fox, 5.3/9; 7.The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 5.4/9; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 5.5/12; 9. CSI: Miami, CBS, 5.6/10; 10. Criminal Minds, CBS, 5.3/9.

CBS, ABC NEWSCASTS SINK TO LOWEST LEVEL YET

Not only were the ratings down for the networks' entertainment programs, but so, too, were the numbers for their nightly newscasts, particularly for CBS and ABC. CBS Evening Newsdrew just 4.89 million viewers, its lowest in modern-ratings history. Likewise, ABC's World Newsattracted 6.42 million, also a low point for the newscast. The low numbers came despite widespread interest in the Iranian elections and subsequent violence, which boosted ratings of the cable news networks. Since the crisis began on June 13, Fox News's audience has climbed 34 percent, while CNN's has risen 6 percent. (Both CBS's Katie Couric and ABC's Charles Gibson were off last week, according to TVNewser.com.)

LAMBERT: DON'T BUY MY RECORD

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is urging his fans to hold off buying his pre-Idolsingle "Want," which goes on sale on iTunes today (Wednesday), and an album titled On With the Show, which is due to be released later this summer. In a statement, Lambert said that his work on those recordings "in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on." He said that he recorded the material four years ago when he "was hired as a studio singer to lend my vocals to tracks written by someone else" -- presumably referring to the demo recordings that songwriters or their representatives commission in order to showcase their work.

GOSSELIN DIVORCE TALK LURES TLC'S BIGGEST AUDIENCE YET

TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8,in which the couple announced their separation, drew 10.6 million viewers Monday, setting a new ratings record for cable channel TLC. Of that number, 6.5 million were adults 18-49, the demo group most prized by advertisers. (In reporting the ratings results, Reuters commented Tuesday, "If misery loves company, then reality TV couple Jon and Kate Gosselin had plenty of both Monday night.") By contrast, the highest-rated show on the broadcast networks was CBS's Two and a Half Men, which drew 8.57 million viewers. The Jon & Kate episode aired on the same day that Kate Gosselin filed divorce papers in Pennsylvania. Several reporters who saw the papers noted that she had ticked a check box asking whether she and her husband have lived apart for at least two years. "So this reality show has been a ruse," commented syndicated Orlando SentinelTV columnist Hal Boedeker. On E! Online, celebrity writer Natalie Finn asked, "Have Jon and Kate Gosselin been forcing those camera-ready smiles for some time?" But the celebrity gossip site TMZ, which is operated by attorney Harvey Levin, explained that Kate may have checked off the box in order "to get the clock ticking." In Pennsylvania, TMZ explained, a no-fault divorce can be granted in 90 days if both sides agree that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" or if they live apart for two years. "Jon may not agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken. If that's the case, she has to wait the two years," the website explained.

PAY-TV SITE SETANTA CAN'T SCORE FUNDING, GOES DARK

Setanta, a leading sports pay-TV channel in the U.K. with 1.2 million subscribers, has gone dark after failing to raise sufficient funds to continue in business. The Ireland-based company, which operated Setanta Sports 1 and 2 and Setanta Sports News, said that "despite strenuous efforts by the board and management, it has not been possible to find sufficient additional funds in the time available to ensure its survival." Some 200 employees are affected by the closure. Setanta's operations in the U.S. and Australia will reportedly continue to function while the search for buyers continues.