• by January 10, 2001

By Anya Khait

ABC has come up a winner in the rating game for the third week in a row, according to Nielsen Media Research. Football and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," helped ABC averaged 16.8 million prime-time viewers (10.7 rating, 17 share) in the week of Jan 1-7.

However, NBC while scoring second place claimed the most-watched show, "ER." Thursday hits "Will & Grace" and "Just Shoot Me" placed in the Top 10 roster. NBC averaged 12.0 million viewers (8.1 rating, 13 share) for the week, while CBS claimed 11.4 million viewers (7.9 rating, 12 share) and Fox finished with 9.9 million viewers (6.2 rating, 10 share).

UPN had 3.6 million viewers (2.2 rating, 3 share), the WB had 3.4 million viewers (2.1 rating, 3 share), and Pax TV had 1.5 million viewers (1.0 rating, 2 share).

NBC's "Nightly News" won the news race with an average of 11.9 million viewers (8.7 rating, 16 share), while CBS's dinner-hour newscast clamed the runner-up slot for both total viewers and household ratings averaging 10.2 million viewers (7.6, 14). "The CBS Evening News" hasn't taken second place for the past two years.). ABC's "World News Tonight" had 9.8 million viewers (7.5, 14).

For the week of Jan. 1-7, the top 10 TV shows were: "ER," NBC, 19.7; Orange Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Florida State, ABC, 17.8; "Friends, NBC, 15.0; "Will & Grace,' NBC, 13.3; Rose Bowl Postgame, ABC, 13.0; Sugar Bowl: Miami vs. Florida, 13.0; tie: "Just Shoot Me," NBC, and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (Thursday), ABC, both 12.7; Orange Bowl Pregame, ABC, 12.5; "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (Sunday), ABC, 12.4.

On the programming side, the "Survivor" reality show craze isn't dead yet and probably won't be for some time. CBS has nailed down a deal for a third and fourth "Survivor" even before the second edition set in the Australian outback has made it on the air. Locations in Africa and South America are being scouted for "Survivor III," which will be on the CBS fall schedule, as reported by the Associated Press.

There's also a good chance the reality series, "Big Brother," will be back next summer, even though CBS executives all but admitted the first edition was a failure.

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