• by December 29, 2002

CBS has opened up a lead on NBC in the 13th week of the TV season, on the strength of new episodes and the Survivor: Thailand finale.

For the primetime week ended Dec. 22, CBS received an 8.2 rating and a 14 share to place it well ahead of the its competitors in total household rating and share for the season. Even with diminished total household ratings this week, NBC was in second place with a 6.2 rating and a 10 share. ABC came in third, with a 5.9 rating and a 10 share. Fox was fourth with a 4 rating and a 7 share. UPN had a 2.3 rating and a 4 share, The WB a 2.1 rating and a 3 share and a 0.9 rating and a 2 share.

CBS still leads in primetime averages season-to-date with an 8.5 rating and a 14 share, compared to NBC's 8.1 rating and 13 share and ABC's 6.4 rating and 11 share. Fox so far has a 5.8 rating and a 9 share. The other networks were further behind (UPN 2.4 rating/4 share; The WB 2.8 rating/4 share; and Pax 0.9 rating and 1 share).

Each ratings point represents 1.067 million households.

Seven of the week's top 10 shows were on CBS, including the Survivor: Thailand finale and a special Survivor: Thailand Reunion. ABC had one top 10 show, Monday Night Football, and NBC placed with two repeats. Another top 10 show for NBC, ER, consistently in the top two or three, was a repeat and was 22nd for the week with a 7.5 rating and a 12 share.

The top 10 programs were:

1. Survivor: Thailand (CBS) 13.5 rating, 22 share.
2. CSI: Miami (CBS) 11.9 rating, 19 share.
3. Survivor: Thailand Reuion (CBS) 11.6 rating, 19 share.
4. Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS), 11.3 rating, 17 share.
5. NFL Monday Night Football (ABC), 11.2 rating, 19 share.
6. Friends (NBC), 10.6 rating and 18 share.
7. Judging Amy (CBS), 10.1 rating and 17 share.
8. Law and Order (NBC), 9.7 rating and 16 share.
9. Still Standing (CBS), 9.5 rating and 16 share.
10. JAG (CBS), 9.2 rating and 15 share.