• by Paul Gough , April 29, 2003

As the current TV season winds down, CBS scored a familiar win in total household ratings and Fox sailed past NBC in the adults 18-49 demographic according to data released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.

CBS, which has won many of the season's weeks in total households, delivered an 8.5/14 with an average of 9.1 million households to retain a half-point lead in the season-to-date ratings race. NBC earned a 7.4/12 with an average of 7.9 million households, followed by Fox's 6.3/10 (6.6 million households) and ABC's 5.7/9 (6 million households). The WB delivered a 2.7/4 with 2.85 million households and UPN earned a 2/3 with 2.1 million households and much less programming in primetime than its competitors.

Fox sailed to another ratings win in adults 18-49, with its 4.6/13 and 5.89 million households edging past NBC's 4.3/12 and 5.5 million households and CBS's 3.4/10 and 4.3 million households. ABC came in fourth with a 3.1/9, 3.9 million households. NBC (4.5/12) retains the season-to-date lead over Fox (4.2/11).

The top 10 primetime programs for the week ended Sunday are:

1. CSI (CBS), 16.2/24, 17.2 million households.

2. ER (NBC), 13.8/22, 14.7 million households.

3. Friends (NBC), 13.7/23, 14.6 million households.

4. Friends April 24 Special Repeat (NBC), 13.3/21, 14.2 million households.

5. CBS Sunday Movie "A Painted House" (CBS), 12.3/19, 13.09 million households.

6. Law & Order (NBC), 12.2/20, 12.9 million households.

7. American Idol - Tuesday (Fox), 12.1/19, 12.8 million households.

8. American Idol - Wednesday (Fox), 11.7/18, 12.4 million households.

9. Will & Grace (NBC), 11.7/18, 12.5 million households.

10. Will & Grace Clip Show (NBC), 11.1/16, 11.85 million households.