LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Fast National ratings for Wednesday, July 14, 2004

A strong showing by "60 Minutes" and a country-music special carried CBS to a ratings win Wednesday, while FOX kept a hold on younger viewers.

CBS averaged a 6.5 rating/12 share for the evening, topping second-place NBC’s 5.7/10. FOX finished third at 4.1/7, followed by ABC, 3.3/6; The WB, 1.7/3; and UPN, 1.1/2. Among adults 18-49, FOX led the way with a 3.0 rating. NBC took second with a 2.6, beating out CBS’ 2.4. ABC averaged 1.7, The WB 1.0 and UPN 0.6.

At 8 p.m., the Wednesday edition of "60 Minutes" posted a better-than-usual 7.5/14 for CBS. ABC averaged 4.4/8 for the hour with repeats of "My Wife and Kids." "That ’70s Show," 3.6/7, and "Quintuplets," 3.5/7, put FOX in third. NBC’s "Next Action Star" was fourth. A "Smallville" repeat on The WB came in fifth at 1.8/3, beating "Star Trek: Enterprise" on UPN.

NBC moved into the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order," 6.4/11. CBS was close behind with the "CMA Music Festival," 6.3/11. "The Simple Life 2" (5.7/10) and "Method & Red" (3.8/6) averaged 4.7/8 for FOX. ABC dropped to fourth with two episodes of "The Drew Carey Show," 3.1/5 and 2.9/5. Another helping of "Smallville" kept The WB ahead of UPN, which went with more "Enterprise."

A second "Law & Order" easily won the 10 p.m. hour with a 7.7/14. The second half of "CMA Music Festival" averaged 5.8/10 for CBS. "The Ultimate Love Test" came in at 2.6/5 for ABC.