Can 'CSI' regain its position as world's most-watched TV series?

The American TV show is among three US series in the running for this year's International TV Audience Awards, alongside "The Flash" and "Criminal Minds," the event organisers, Eurodata TV Worldwide and the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo, have announced.

The world's most-watched TV series in 2015 will be named at the 56th Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo, which runs June 12 to 16, 2016, in Monaco.

This year's prize is sure to go to an American series. The three shows named in the "Drama TV Series" category all come from the USA.

Already in the running last year, "Criminal Minds," is again among this year's finalists, alongside new arrival "The Flash" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which could move back into the top spot after being overtaken in recent years by "NCIS."

In the "Comedy TV Series" category, last year's winner, "How I Met Your Mother," will be replaced by one of three other American comedy shows: "Modern Family," "Two and a Half Men" or "The Big Bang Theory," which is already the most-watched comedy series in the USA.

The current title-holder in the "Telenovela/Soap Opera" category, "The Bold and the Beautiful," is back in the running this year, up against Mexican series, "Corazon Indomable," and the Indian show, "Tumhari Paakhi."

The finalists are pre-selected from a list of the 15 most-watched fictional series in 62 different countries, accounting for some 2.6 billion potential viewers.

The winners will be crowned at the 56th Golden Nymph Awards Ceremony, held June 16 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.