• by Ken Liebeskind , August 7, 2002

Although CBS had the top three shows for the week, it was virtually tied with NBC for the top prime average in the Nielsens, with CBS scoring a 10 share/5.5 household rating to NBC's 10/5.4. Meanwhile, ABC (8/4.2) and Fox (7/3.6) trailed.

CSI, 48 Hours--Monday and Everybody Loves Raymond led the way for CBS, with CSI scoring an 18 share/10.5 household. Becker ranked fifth for CBS. NBC was led by Law and Order, Dateline NBC and Friends, which rounded out the top 10 along with ABC's Primetime Thursday and Fox's American Idol. The other episode of American Idol also made the top 25.

Call it the mid summer doldrums, but for the most part reruns are the most popular shows. A few new shows continue to score well, including Idol, Yes, Dear (CBS) and Dog Eat Dog (NBC).

Speaking of Dog, NBC announced a midseason renewal for the popular game show. It had ordered six new episodes for next season, but upped it to 13 because the ratings are high, averaging 10.7 million viewers, highest among adults 18-49, the most profitable demographic.

ABC, looking to bounce back from its poor showing last year, is working on a variety of new programs, including I.C.U., a four part medical documentary series about children with heart disease that debuts tonight and runs through August. A network spokesman was unable to answer questions about advertising for I.C.U. ABC's plans also include a made for TV feature about the nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were rescued from a flooded mineshaft that will air sometime next season. It has also signed a deal with HBO to develop new programming during the next two years. ABC has gotten its shows from Touchstone Productions, a Disney subsidiary like ABC. Now it will go outside to HBO's Independent Productions, which developed Everybody Loves Raymond for CBS but has been inactive recently.

Cable winners for the most recent week were Pennsylvania 500 (TNT), Autotrader.com post race (TNT) and WWE Entertainment (TNN), with Penn 500 scoring a 4.1 household with 4.2 million households viewing.

Syndicated winners were Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Friends, Seinfeld and The Oprah Winfrey Show, with Wheel scoring an 8.1 household with 8.5 million households watching.

Sports leaders for the most recent week were Fox Saturday baseball, WWE Smackdown (UPN), the John Deere Classic (CBS), Pikes Peak (NBC) and the CBS Sports Spectacular, with Fox's baseball scoring a 10 share/3.3 household.