• by Wayne Friedman , June 19, 2006

So far, there is no reality show taking the customary reins as a summer hit king--instead, the honors go to ABC's "2006 NBA Finals."

Through the first four games, its adult 18-49 numbers are up 11 percent to a Nielsen Media Research 4.9/15, and up 11 percent in total viewers to 11.9 million. With the series definitely going six games and most likely a seventh, ABC will get a few extra days of high ratings as the interest in the close series continues.

This is second-highest-rated NBA Championship Series since the network began airing the Finals in 2003--with much of it due to high-profile name players such as Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, and Dirk Nowitzki.

ABC has won two Thursday nights in a row, with last Thursday pulling in a 3.3/11 for adults 18-49.

Led by NBC's "Dateline," headlined by an exclusive with Britney Spears, NBC came in second with a 3/9 last Thursday. NBC's new young-targeted drama, "Windfall," also contributed with a 3.2/9. The show was slightly off its debut week, which also ran against NBA basketball.

CBS was next--but no thanks to its new "Game Show Marathon," which tied for last among the Big Four network shows for the evening with a 1.8/7. CBS pulled in with an average 2.5/8 in adult 18-49 viewers for the evening, led by a repeat of "CSI" at 9-10 at a 2.9/9.

Fox averaged a 2.4/8, mostly from "So You Think You Can Dance?"--which has cooled from initial 4 plus ratings in adults 18-49 to a 3.1/11. Univision, with a 1.7/3, came in fifth--a 2.0 rating was scored for "La Fea Mas Bella."

The goodbye networks are indeed fading. The WB and UPN tied with petite 0.7/2 ratings among adults 18-49.