• by Paul Gough , June 17, 2003

With a slate of reality that began after the end of the regular season, NBC is winning the battle for the summer in network television, according to data released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.

In total viewers and in the key demographic of adults 18-49, NBC led CBS and Fox with the debut of Last Comic Standing along with continuing series For Love or Money, Dog Eat Dog and Fame. NBC said that led by the two top reality shows among adults 18-49 - Last Comic Standing and For Love or Money - it was up 13% year-to-year in regular programs since the end of the May sweeps. NBC's schedule had 10 of the top 20 programs in adults 18-49 and eight of the top 20 in total viewers.

NBC claimed its sixth win in the last seven weeks and 22 wins in the 38 weeks of the broadcast season since last September in adults 18-49. NBC also won the week in adults 25-54 and adult-female demographics.

Among adults 18-49, NBC (3.2/10, 4.1 million) bested second place ABC (2.9/9, 3.7 million) and third place Fox (2.5/8, 3.2 million). CBS trailed in adults 18-49 with 2.7/7 and 3 million. UPN (1.3/4, 1.7 million) and The WB (1.2/4, 1.6 million) followed. Each rating point in the adults 18-49 demographic is 1.2 million viewers. Among adults 25-54, NBC (3.7/11, 4.4 million) led ABC (3.1/9, 3.7 million), CBS (3/9, 3.6 million) and Fox (2.4/7, 2.9 million). Each rating point in the adults 25-54 demographic represents 1.2 million viewers. In total viewers, NBC (3.1/9, 8.4 million) led CBS (3.1/9, 8.4 million), ABC (2.6/8, 7.1 million) and Fox (2.1/7, 5.9 million). Each rating point in that demographic equal 2.72 million viewers.

In total viewers and households, CBS had five of the top 10 primetime programs, to NBC's three and ABC's sole appearance, Sunday night's sixth game of the NBA Finals. The top 10 programs in primetime for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research:

1. CSI (CBS), 9.7/16, 10.3 million.

2. Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS), 9.4/15, 10 million.

3. CSI: Miami (CBS), 8.9/15, 9.5 million.

4. Law & Order (NBC), 8.7/15, 9.2 million.

5. Dateline NBC Special (NBC), 8.1/13, 8.6 million.

6. Still Standing (CBS), 8/13, 8.5 million.

7. 48 Hours Investigates (CBS), 7.6/13, 8.1 million.

8. Law & Order: SVU (NBC), 7.6/14, 8.1 million.

9. Without a Trace (CBS), 7.6/14, 8.1 million.

10. NBA Finals/Game 6 (ABC), 7.5/14, 8 million.