• by Paul Gough , November 19, 2002

NBC edged ahead of CBS in the latest weekly ranking of the all-important November sweeps.

Nielsen ratings showed NBC earned a 9 rating and a 14 share in total households, ahead of the CBS showing of an 8.4 rating and a 13 share. Third-place ABC trailed with a 6.8 rating and an 11 share, while Fox followed with a 4.7 rating and a 7 share. The WB edged ahead of the bottom three broadcast networks, with a 2.9 rating and a 5 share. UPN received a 2.6 rating and a 4 share and Pax had a 0.9 rating and a 1 share.

NBC had five shows in the top 10, CBS had four shows and ABC had one show in the top 10. No other network had shows in the top 25.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation retained its lead as both the week’s top-rated show and as the season’s top-rated program to date. For the week ending Sunday, CSI averaged a 18.3 rating and a 28 share, well ahead of second-place Friends’ 15.8 rating and 25 share. CSI’s season-to-date average household rating is 17.7 rating and a 27 share. Friends is in second place in the season-to-date ranking as well, with a 16.3 rating and a 26 share.

Thursday programming on NBC and CBS dominated the top 10 ranking, with all of NBC’s block in the top 10 and most of the CBS programming in the top 10. Without A Trace, a criminal investigation show that competes with ER, was ranked 20th.

ER came in third with a 15.7 rating and a 26 share. CSI: Miami came in fourth with a 13.3 rating and a 22 share and another CBS Monday night program, Everybody Loves Raymond, registered a 12.9 rating and a 19 share.

The remainder of the weekly Nielsen top 10 were Law & Order (NBC) with a 12.7 rating and a 21 share; Survivor: Thailand (CBS) with a 12.5 rating and a 19 share; NFL Monday Night Football (ABC) with a 12.4 rating and a 19 share; Scrubs (NBC) with a 12.4 rating and an 18 share; and Will & Grace (NBC) with a 12.1 rating and an 18 share.

This week’s results brought NBC closer to CBS in the battle for total households. Nielsen Media Research said that in the eight weeks of the current TV season, CBS still led with an 8.7 rating and a 14 share, compared to NBC’s 8.4 rating and 14 share. ABC and Fox were nearly tied, with ABC’s 6.4 rating and 10 share and Fox’s 6.2 rating and 10 share.

The WB holds a 3 rating and a 5 share so far this season in total households. UPN has a 2.6 rating and a 4 share and Pax has a 0.9 rating and a 1 share.