Parent Canwest Global Communications may be embattled and U.S. network influence waning, yet Global Television said it achieved its best fall showing in a half-decade as 2009 drew to a close. Helped by new PPM measurement, Global saw its primetime audiences rise 48% in fall 2009, compared to fall 2008, according to BBM Canada numbers.

In Global’s key 18-49 demographic, the high school musical Glee was the top-rated new show with an average one million viewers. Fox has renewed Glee for a second season. Global claimed four shows in the top 10 for 18-49s, including House in the top spot with an average 1.78 million viewers.

CTV, which remained Canada’s primetime ratings king in fall 2009, had the other six places in the 18-49 category on the strength of returning hits like Grey’s Anatomy, The Amazing Race and the CSI franchise. CTV also dominated the 2+ total viewers category with seven of the top 10 positions, and 12 of the top 20 places, including Flashpoint as the most-watched non-sports Canadian show of the fall with an average 1.7 million viewers. In CTV’s 25-54 demo, the top-rated new series was the sci-fi V, with just over one million viewers.

NCIS: Los Angeles was Global’s most-watched new show among viewers 2+. In the same demo, the CBC saw Battle of the Blades with 1.76 million viewers, neck-and-neck with Flashpoint.

The introduction of PPM measurement also boosted Canwest’s specialty channels in fall 2009, with HGTV Canada reporting audiences up by 20%, National Geographic Channel by 24% and Action by 39%.