In a race reminiscent of the Bush-Gore battle a year ago, NBC has edged out Fox for the coveted adults 18-49 demographic in the November sweep.
When the dust settled after Wednesday's action,
Nielsen reported that NBC finished the November sweeps with a 5.1 rating in adults 18-49, with Fox at a 5.0 (round-offs had NBC at 5.079 and Fox at 5.043). The two networks were separated by a mere
45,840 viewers in the demo.
NBC clinched the No. 1 rank with a winning Wednesday in the demographic (6.4 rating, 16 share), while Fox placed third (4.2/11). It's the sixth November victory in
seven years for NBC and marks the most competitive finish ever in a sweeps month for Fox.
CBS, which claimed the month's total-viewer prize on Wednesday, joined UPN as the only networks to enjoy
across-the-board gains for the month.
For the month, UPN improved by 5% in adults 12-34, and by 11% in both 18-34 and 18-49. It logged its best scores in adults 18-34 (2.1/6) and 18-49 (2.0/5)
since becoming a five-night network three years ago -- topping rival the WB in both.
Both UPN and the WB have added key parts to their lineups this season.
Leading the way for UPN was an
improved Monday comedy block, led off by "The Hughleys" and featuring strong newcomer "One on One" at 8:30. Addition of new "Star Trek" series "Enterprise" and acquisition of "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer" has also greatly boosted Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
UPN also showed gains on Friday with its movie night, meaning only Thursday ("WWF Smackdown!") was down year-to-year.
"We
launched 'Buffy' and 'Enterprise,' we've established 8 p.m. anchors and we're garnering a larger share of the advertising pie," UPN president Dean Valentine said in a conference call with reporters
Thursday. "We've achieved all of these goals and then some."
UPN's gains came as the WB declined from its red-hot pace of a year ago. The WB was down 12% in its target 12-34 demo (2.3/7 vs. 2.6/7)
and 13% in adults 18-34 (2.0/6 vs. 2.3/6).
As expected, the WB felt the loss of "Buffy" in the ratings race but refused to look back on Thursday, pointing to new successes like "Smallville" and
"Reba."
"Our valuation of how we do is where the rubber hits the road, the bottom line," WB Entertainment president Jordan Levin said. "Sure, our ratings would have been higher (if they had kept
"Buffy"), but we have set ourselves up for a bright, bright future."
Levin pointed out that the WB successfully rebuilt its Tuesday lineup, moving "Gilmore Girls" over from Thursday and putting
"Smallville" at 9. The strategy has paid off, with both series thriving and "generating a lot of heat," according to Levin.
The loss of "Gilmore" on Thursday has left a hole on that night's tough
opening hour. Levin said the network was looking closely at filling the Thursday-at-8 hour with repeats of "Angel" or another one-hour drama.
The WB continues to look strong Monday (with "7th
Heaven" joined by "Angel" on its new night) but its Wednesday took a fairly big hit for the month. "Dawson's Creek" and "Felicity" were down a collective 24% in 18-34 year-to-year.
On the final
Wednesday -- and night -- of the sweep, NBC easily won in total viewers (18.8 million) and adults 18-49 (6.4/16), led by "The West Wing" (20.86 million, 7.3/18) and "Law & Order" (20.22 million,
7.6/20), which finished with their best November sweep averages to date in the demo.
NBC's annual airing of "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" was up 14% year-to-year in 18-49 (to a 4.1/11), about
what has "Ed" averaged in the hour this season.
Fox's "The Bernie Mac Show" placed a solid second at 9 in viewers (11.24 million) and 18-49 (5.1/12) and first in 18-34 (5.4/15); it finished as the
sweep's top-rated new comedy in 18-34. ABC's comedy tandem of "My Wife and Kids" (5.2/15) and "According to Jim" (5.0/13) placed first from 8 to 9 in adults 18-49.
Elsewhere, UPN's "Enterprise"
won the night's opening hour in men 18-49 (4.3/12) while CBS' "Amazing Race" logged its best score in adults 18-49 (4.1/10) since September.
- Variety