CBS has taken the seasonal lead in total viewers with its fourth consecutive weekly victory, while NBC continues its mastery over coveted younger viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data for
the Nov. 26-Dec. 2 period issued Tuesday.
ABC and UPN also performed strongly last week, while Fox and the WB enjoyed only intermittent highlights.
CBS topped runner-up NBC by about 1.5
million viewers during the week, which included the final three nights of the November sweep.
CBS had a huge Monday, as a "Carol Burnett Show" reunion special drew nearly 30 million viewers to
rank as the week's most-watched program, and the network's Monday laffers all drew their largest time slot audiences ever. "Everybody Loves Raymond," at 24.26 million viewers, was the No. 2 show of
the week.
CBS also did well on Thursday (winning in total viewers for the first time this season), scored Friday with holiday specials, and delivered its most-watched movie of the season on Sunday
("Jack and the Beanstalk").
CBS, which remains the only major network showing season-to-date demo gains across the board, also finished just a tick behind NBC last week in adults 25-54 and women
25-54.
NBC, which was second in total viewers, again finished first in adults 18-49 and 25-54.
Its victory in adults 18-49 -- powered by wins on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday -- was
its ninth in 10 weeks this season and the 33rd in 36 weeks dating back to April. A repeat of "Friends" topped the weekly rankings in 18-49 (9.7 rating, 25 share), and the network was also represented
in the top 10 by "Law & Order," "Fear Factor," "West Wing," "Frasier" and "Will & Grace."
ABC had one of its strongest weeks of the season, edging out CBS and Fox to place second in adults 18-49
-- just three-tenths of a ratings point behind leader NBC -- and taking the week in men 25-54 (4.7/11).
ABC saw strong ratings for pro and college football action and capped off its week with big
numbers for football-themed movie "Brian's Song" -- the most-watched TV movie of the season (15.23 million). The network also received nice turnouts for veterans "NYPD Blue," "The Practice" and
rookies "According to Jim" and "Alias."
Fox, despite a fourth-place finish in adults 18-49, won the frame in adults 18-34, men 18-34 and men 18-49. Among new programs, Wednesday's "Bernie Mac"
continues to be a standout, while Tuesday's "24" saw its first week-to-week uptick.
UPN was again up about 10% in key demos vs. a year ago, led by "Enterprise" and the largest audience since
August for wrestling's "WWF Smackdown" (7 million).
The WB was led in most categories by impressive newcomer "Smallville," which won its very tough Tuesday time period in adults 18-34 for the
first time.
MONDAY
ABC won Dec. 3 in adults 18-49 (5.8/16) and total viewers (15.3 million) behind "Monday Night Football" (16.60 million, 6.7/19). Its "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," with a
celeb edition, edged timeslot quizzer rival "Weakest Link" for the first time this season in 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 2. 9/8).
NBC didn't do much at 10 with a special firstrun "Ed" (8.85 million, 3.7/10),
which ran a distant third, but CBS thrived with a special "48 Hours." The newsmagazine delivered the network's largest audience for a series in the hour (14.14 million) in 18 months -- easily topping
"Family Law's" average in the hour (11.13 million).
Fox's "Boston Public" won its hour in total viewers (11.92 million) and 18-49 (5.2/14), but "Ally McBeal" fell to firstrun Monday lows (9.40
million, 4.3/10).
Even in repeat, CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond" was the night's top show (17.90 million, 6.8/16).
SUNDAY
Fox won the night in adults 18-49 (6.2/15) -- thanks to a big NFL
overrun (8.6/29 from 7 to 7:50) -- but its programs from 8 to 10 were all down vs. a year ago. At 9, "The X-Files" (4.5/10) fell behind ABC's "Alias" (4.9/11) for the first time.
"Alias," given a
strong lead-in from "Brian's Song" (15.23 million, 5.9/14), grabbed its largest audience in seven weeks (11.12 million), and "The Practice" followed with winning scores (15.93 million, 6.0/14),
although it's still down vs. a year ago.
CBS' "The Education of Max Bickford" again fell to a new low (8.88 million, 2.0/5 in 18-49), ranking in the demo as the lowest-rated series of the week
among the four major networks.
Making things difficult for the broadcast networks were the week's two most-watched cable programs: TNT Christmas TV movie "Call Me Claus" (9.44 million) and ESPN's
pro football game (Bills-49ers) drew 7.16 million.
SATURDAY
ABC won in 18-49 (3.2/10) and male demos with the Colorado-Texas college football game. CBS remained on top in total viewers, led by
"The District" at 10 (13.39 million).
TNT's airing of "The Wizard of Oz" averaged 5.59 million viewers and a 2.2/7 in adults 18-49, topping NBC's lineup of pro basketball and movie "Stripes" (4.95
million, 2.1/6).
Fox's "Cops" rallied opposite atypical competition for its best 18-49 score in three months (3.4/11).
FRIDAY
NBC won easily even with a repeat of "Law & Order: Special
Victims Unit." The latter still dominated (14.40 million, 4.9/14 in 18-49), preceded by a two-hour "Dateline" (13.17 million, 3.8/12) that also did well.
CBS had its best Friday since April (9.7
million, 2.8/8 in 18-49) thanks to a pair of "Frosty the Snowman" specials.
"The Sound of Music," a picture that skews older and female, didn't play very well in its first time on Fox (6.88
million, 2.7/8 in 18-49) -- drawing less than half as many viewers as its most recent telecast on NBC last December.
ABC improved at 9, as a repeat "Best Commercials" special (7.70 million, 2.9/8)
topped all but one score of the now-canceled "Thieves" in the hour.
THURSDAY
CBS moved ahead in viewers, led by a repeat "CSI" (18.21 million, 6.5/15 in 18-49), which easily outdrew NBC's "ER"
(13.88 million, 6.6/17), although the latter still won in the demo. NBC won in 18-49 for a 29th straight Thursday.
Elsewhere, Fox's "Temptation Island" (6.28 million, 3.4/8) picked up a bit
opposite repeats but remains an afterthought in its hour, while CBS' "Survivor" did well with a recap show (17.80 million, 7.1/18), winning in viewers.
WEDNESDAY
NBC rolled behind what ranked
as the week's No. 1 dramas in adults 18-49 (7.6/20 for "Law & Order") and total viewers (20.86 million for "West Wing"). At 8, the network's annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" special (15.23
million, 4.1/11 in 18-49) hit new highs. Fox's "Bernie Mac" won at 9 in 18-34 (5.4/15) and was second in 18-49 to "West Wing" (5.1/12), while CBS' "The Amazing Race" had its best performance since
September (9.48 million, 4.1/10).
TUESDAY
A special celeb edition of "Fear Factor" grabbed the series' best numbers yet (17.24 million, 7.5/19 in 18-49), guiding NBC to victory across the
board in demos. CBS still won in total viewers with its steady drama trio.
NBC's comedies won the 9 p.m. hour in adults 18-49 while ABC's "NYPD Blue" was the top drama.
At 10, ABC's "Philly"
(10.13 million, 3.9/11 in 18-49) posted another decent score but was thumped by CBS' "Judging Amy" (16.06 million, 4.6/12).
MONDAY
CBS dominated Nov. 26 behind its "Carol Burnett Show"
special, while ABC was second thanks to the biggest "Monday Night Football" score of the season.
-- Reuters/Variety