• by March 22, 2001

By Anya Khait

As a result of Saturday's telecast of XFL football on NBC scoring a 1.6 rating, believed to be the lowest-ever prime-time night among the big three networks in Nielsen Media Research history, NBC finished third in the ratings for the week, but managed to pull out a victory in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic that it targets.

ABC's new comedy "The Job" had a promising debut tying for 40th place with "The Drew Carey Show." "Gideon's Crossing" scored its highest ratings since premiere week thanks to a crossover stunt with "The Practice."

NBC's "Nightly News" led the evening news ratings race with 10.1 million viewers (7.6 rating, 15 share), ABC's "World News Tonight" placed second with 8.9 million viewers (7.0, 14) and the "CBS Evening News" had 8.3 million viewers (6.3, 13). ABC won the week with a prime-time average of 12.2 million viewers (8.3 rating, 14 share), CBS had 11.3 million viewers (7.8, 13), NBC had 10 million (6.9, 12), Fox had 8.6 million (5.4, 9), UPN had 3.4 million (2.2, 3), the WB had 3.2 million (2.2, 4) and Pax TV had 1.5 million (1.0, 2).

The twenty top Nielsen rated shows for the week were:

1. "Survivor II," CBS, 16.6, 17.0 million homes.

2. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Sunday," ABC, 14.1, 14.4 million homes.

3. "Friends," NBC, 13.9, 14.2 million homes.

4. "Law and Order," NBC, 12.8, 13.1 million homes.

4. "The Practice," ABC, 12.8, 13.1 million homes.

6. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Tuesday," ABC, 12.2, 12.4 million homes.

7. "The West Wing," NBC, 11.8, 12.0 million homes.

8. "Will & Grace," NBC, 11.6, 11.9 million homes.

9. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Thursday," ABC, 11.5, 11.7 million homes.

10. "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 11.3, 11.5 million homes.

11. "The Weber Show," NBC, 10.9, 11.1 million homes.

12. "60 Minutes," CBS, 10.8, 11.1 million homes.

13. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Friday," ABC, 10.4, 10.6 million homes.

14. "Just Shoot Me," NBC, 10.2, 10.5 million homes.

15. "E.R.," NBC, 10.1, 10.4 million homes.

16. "Providence," NBC, 9.8, 10.0 million homes.

17. "NYPD Blue," ABC, 9.7, 9.9 million homes.

18. "Gideon's Crossing," ABC, 9.6, 9.8 million homes.

18. "Yes, Dear," CBS, 9.6, 9.8 million homes.

20. "Touched by an Angel," CBS, 9.5, 9.7 million homes.

- Anya Khait may be reached at anya@mediapost.com