• by Paul Gough , August 26, 2003

After an unprecedented delay and breakout of blackout-affected ratings, TV's summer ratings returned to normal last week. They were still down from the season's norms but it was reruns and reality that dragged viewing.

Tuesday's release of primetime broadcast data had a familiar ring to it, as had much of this year's ratings: CBS retained its dominance of total households and persons but NBC edged Fox and NBC to take the adults 18-49 demographic. And like just about every other week in the season - except for last week, which didn't count Thursday night in the weekly average - "CSI" returned to the top of primetime programs in total households and persons.

CBS dominated the top 10, with seven shows. NBC had two and ABC had one, preseason NFL football.

Total households/persons: CBS (6/11, 8.7 million); NBC (5.2/9, 7.5 million); ABC (4.5/8, 6.6 million); Fox (4.7, 6 million); UPN (1.8/3, 2.6 million); The WB (1.7/3, 2.4 million); and Pax (0.6/1, 660,000).

Adults 18-49: NBC (2.9/9, 3.7 million); CBS (2.7/9, 3.5 million); Fox (2.6/8, 3.7 million); ABC (2.3/7, 2.9 milllion); UPN (1.1/4, 1.4 million); The WB (1/3, 1.3 million) and Pax (.0.2/1, 250,000).

The top 10 primetime programs for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research:

1. "CSI" (CBS), 9.7/16, 14.63 million.

2. "Without a Trace" (CBS), 8.5/15, 12.1 million.

3. "CBS Sunday Movie: Code 11-14" (CBS), 8.1/14, 11.8 million.

4. "60 Minutes" (CBS), 8/16, 11.3 million.

5. "Law & Order" (NBC), 7.8/14, 10.7 million.

6. NFL Preseason Football (NBC), 7.4/13, 10.4 million.

7. "CSI: Miami" (CBS), 7.3/13, 10.5 million.

8. "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS), 10.5 million.

9. "King of Queens" (CBS), 7.2/11, 10.2 million.

10. "Law & Order: SVU" (CBS), 7.2/13, 9.9 million.