• by Paul Gough , June 12, 2003

The MTV 2003 Movie Awards topped Nielsen Media Research's top 10 ranked by household audience. The awards show delivered a 3.7 household rating and 5.9 million people when it aired for more than two hours beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday.

The post-awards show, which began after 11 p.m. Thursdsay, also made the top 10. Programs on TNN, Lifetime, TLC, Nickelodeon and TNT rounded out the top 10.

In the world of syndication, Wheel of Fortune topped the ratings for yet another week in total households, persons 2+ and women 2+. Jeopardy was in second place in each demographic.

A ranking of the top sports programs for the week also were released Thursday, with Saturday's running of the Belmont Stakes by far the top-rated sports show of the week. The Belmont Stakes delivered a 10.7/25 and 15.7 million viewers for NBC in the 62-minute event Saturday evening. Roger Clemens' latest failed attempt at his 300th career victory, against the Chicago Cubs, also made the top 10, the first time since the World Series last year that a baseball game made the top 10 ranking. The Fox game ran 191 minutes and delivered a 4.1/12 with 5.5 million viewers. The sports rankings did not include Monday's Stanley Cup final game, but of the four Stanley Cup games on ABC did not rank above 12th place.

The top 9 cable programs for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research:

1. 2003 Movie Awards (MTV), 3.7, 5.9 million viewers.

2. WWE Raw Zone (TNN), 3.3, 5.4 million viewers.

3. LTS: Golden Girls Greatest (Lifetime), 3, 4.1 million viewers.

4. WWE Raw (TNN), 3, 4.7 million viewers.

5. Trading Spaces (TLC), 2.7, 4.2 million viewers.

6. Fairly Odd Parents (Nick), 2.7, 3.7 million viewers.

7. Fairly Odd Parents (Nick), 2.7, 3.9 million viewers.

8. Spongebob (Nick), 2.6, 3.6 million viewers.

9. 2003 Movie Awards Post Show (MTV), 2.6, 3.6 million viewers.