|
America
calls
for 'Law & Order'
The times, perhaps?
Trio bolsters weaker shows.
By Toni Fitzgerald
The comfort of
a clear-cut good guys versus bad guys premise certainly connects with an
audience when the country’s about to begin a war.
NBC aired seven episodes of “Law & Order” in one form
or another last week, most of them repeats. Four ranked in the top 25
among adults 18-49.
All of them finished in the top 75, above such fresh fare as NBC’s
“Mister Sterling,” the WB’s “Angel” and Fox’s “NAACP Image
Awards.”
The “Law & Order” franchise has become the
network’s most reliable dramatic trio. The shows have helped make up for
the free fall of “West Wing” among 18-49s while also patching a
massive scheduling hole Saturday nights.
The original Wednesday 10 p.m. “Law & Order” still
wins its time slot among households and 18-49s most weeks, even when
facing ABC’s seemingly more hip “Celebrity Mole.” Back-to-back shows
Wednesday, pre-empting “West Wing,” averaged a 5.1 adult 18-49 rating.
“Law & Order: SVU,” the second of the bunch to debut,
is Friday night’s most-watched program among 18-49s and households.
It was the highest-ranking of any of the “L&O” shows
last week, finishing tied for 13 despite having the least desirable time
slot, Friday at 10 p.m. “SVU” ranked as the No. 4 drama last week
among 18-49s, behind CBS’s “CSI” and “CSI: Miami” and NBC’s
“ER.”
“Law & Order: Criminal Intent” at 9 p.m.
Sundays has been a hit ever since it began last year. Now it’s having an
even more desirable effect – lifting the 10 p.m. “Boomtown” to
better ratings the past four weeks.
“Boomtown” finished tied for 29 last week, the new
episode retaining 91 percent of “Criminal Intent’s” 18-49 audience.
Still, the Sunday bounce hasn’t helped the 8 p.m. NBC show,
“American Dreams.” The freshman drama, considered an even chance for
renewal, didn’t boost its chances with just a 3.5 adult 18-49 rating
last week for a new episode.
After six straight weeks at No. 1 in the weekly adults 18-49
network rankings, Fox finally finished second.
NBC, the season-to-date leader in the category, prevailed by
a scant .2 rating points with a 4.7 average. Regrouping from a disappointing
February sweeps, the network has seen its season-to-date average stall at
4.6 among young adults as Fox’s steadily climbs, now to 4.2.
New episodes of Thursday’s lineup helped lift NBC, in a
week where CBS (except for “Survivor”) was in repeats.
In its second week, Fox’s “Oliver Beene” dropped from
its debut average, when it retained 100 percent of its lead-in “Simpsons”
audience. In the 8:30 Sunday spot, “Beene” averaged a 5.1, retaining a
still-respectable 88 percent.
A Wednesday “American Idol” lead-in has given a huge
boost to Fox’s “Bernie Mac” and “Cedric the Entertainer Presents.”
The two comedies both finished in the top 30 among 18-49s for
the first time since the fall.
CBS’s “My Big Fat Greek Life” slipped to No. 49 among
18-49s last week. The show remains very popular among households, though,
where it has ranked in the top 25 every outing since its debut.
PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY
NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 16
|
Network |
Households* |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
CBS |
8.2 |
8750 |
13 |
4.6 |
12400 |
12 |
3.7 |
4730 |
10 |
NBC |
7.9 |
8420 |
13 |
4.4 |
11890 |
11 |
4.7 |
6110 |
13 |
FOX |
6.2 |
6590 |
10 |
3.7 |
10030 |
9 |
4.5 |
5830 |
12 |
ABC |
4.9 |
5200 |
8 |
2.9 |
7790 |
7 |
2.8 |
3650 |
8 |
WB |
2.1 |
2200 |
3 |
1.1 |
3110 |
3 |
1.4 |
1770 |
4 |
UPN |
1.7 |
1830 |
3 |
0.9 |
2570 |
2 |
1.0 |
1340 |
3 |
PAX |
0.7 |
790 |
1 |
0.4 |
1040 |
1 |
0.3 |
330 |
1 |
* Each rating point is
equivalent to 1.067 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME
AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 16
|
Network |
Households* |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
CBS |
8.4 |
9010 |
14 |
4.7 |
12880 |
12 |
4.0 |
5110 |
11 |
NBC |
7.8 |
8330 |
13 |
4.3 |
11830 |
11 |
4.6 |
5870 |
12 |
ABC |
6.5 |
6980 |
11 |
3.8 |
10450 |
10 |
4.0 |
5130 |
11 |
FOX |
6.1 |
6470 |
10 |
3.6 |
9920 |
9 |
4.2 |
5430 |
11 |
WB |
2.7 |
2850 |
4 |
1.6 |
4260 |
4 |
1.8 |
2360 |
5 |
UPN |
2.3 |
2460 |
4 |
1.3 |
3630 |
3 |
1.5 |
1970 |
4 |
PAX |
0.9 |
910 |
1 |
0.4 |
1210 |
1 |
0.3 |
390 |
1 |
* Each rating point is
equivalent to 1.067 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
NETWORK TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 16, 2003
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
RANK |
Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
CSI |
CBS |
17.4 |
26 |
18618 |
1 |
10.5 |
28601 |
2 |
E.R. |
NBC |
13.7 |
23 |
14652 |
3 |
7.7 |
20915 |
3 |
FRIENDS |
NBC |
13.5 |
21 |
14428 |
3 |
7.7 |
21000 |
4 |
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY |
FOX |
13.3 |
21 |
14183 |
2 |
8.1 |
22011 |
5 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
12.9 |
21 |
13739 |
7 |
7.0 |
18951 |
6 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
12.4 |
18 |
13283 |
6 |
7.2 |
19475 |
6 |
SURVIVOR: AMAZON |
CBS |
12.4 |
19 |
13191 |
3 |
7.7 |
21055 |
8 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
11.5 |
20 |
12238 |
10 |
6.2 |
16994 |
9 |
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY |
FOX |
10.7 |
17 |
11376 |
8 |
6.7 |
18302 |
10 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
10.4 |
17 |
11067 |
14 |
5.5 |
14967 |
11 |
FEAR FACTOR |
NBC |
10.3 |
16 |
11040 |
8 |
6.7 |
18304 |
11 |
STILL STANDING |
CBS |
10.3 |
16 |
11017 |
11 |
5.8 |
15863 |
13 |
SCRUBS |
NBC |
10.1 |
15 |
10796 |
12 |
5.7 |
15636 |
13 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
10.1 |
17 |
10825 |
12 |
5.7 |
15382 |
15 |
WILL & GRACE |
NBC |
10.0 |
15 |
10672 |
14 |
5.5 |
15009 |
16 |
60 MINUTES |
CBS |
9.4 |
16 |
10078 |
17 |
5.0 |
13683 |
17 |
48 HOURS INVESTIGATES |
CBS |
9.2 |
15 |
9854 |
19 |
4.9 |
13195 |
18 |
KING OF QUEENS |
CBS |
9.1 |
14 |
9657 |
16 |
5.2 |
14037 |
19 |
YES, DEAR |
CBS |
8.9 |
13 |
9466 |
17 |
5.0 |
13468 |
20 |
LAW & ORDER 3/12(S) |
NBC |
8.7 |
13 |
9328 |
21 |
4.6 |
12459 |
21 |
GOOD MORNING MIAMI |
NBC |
8.6 |
13 |
9132 |
21 |
4.6 |
12571 |
22 |
MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE |
CBS |
8.3 |
13 |
8905 |
21 |
4.6 |
12388 |
23 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
8.2 |
12 |
8797 |
21 |
4.6 |
12631 |
24 |
60 MINUTES II - 9PM |
CBS |
8.1 |
12 |
8670 |
25 |
4.5 |
12224 |
24 |
DATELINE FRI |
NBC |
8.1 |
14 |
8616 |
30 |
4.2 |
11516 |
24 |
JAG |
CBS |
8.1 |
13 |
8688 |
25 |
4.5 |
12134 |
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
TOP 30 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST TV
Adults 18-49
Week Ending March
16
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
In Millions |
1 |
CSI |
CBS |
10.3 |
13.24 |
2 |
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY |
FOX |
10.3 |
13.22 |
3 |
FRIENDS |
NBC |
10.0 |
12.87 |
4 |
ER |
NBC |
9.9 |
12.77 |
5 |
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY |
FOX |
8.7 |
11.22 |
6 |
SURVIVOR: AMAZON |
CBS |
8.1 |
10.38 |
7 |
FEAR FACTOR |
NBC |
8.0 |
10.31 |
8 |
SCRUBS |
NBC |
7.7 |
9.84 |
8 |
WILL & GRACE |
NBC |
7.7 |
9.85 |
10 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
7.0 |
8.94 |
11 |
GOOD MORNING MIAMI |
NBC |
6.4 |
8.22 |
12 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
6.3 |
8.08 |
13 |
MEET MY FOLKS 3/10 |
NBC |
5.9 |
7.58 |
13 |
LAW & ORDER: SVU |
NBC |
5.9 |
7.63 |
13 |
THAT ‘70S SHOW |
FOX |
5.9 |
7.58 |
13 |
SIMPSONS |
FOX |
5.9 |
7.58 |
17 |
LAW & ORDER |
NBC |
5.5 |
7.10 |
18 |
BERNIE MAC |
FOX |
5.4 |
6.99 |
18 |
STILL STANDING |
CBS |
5.4 |
7.00 |
20 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
5.1 |
6.62 |
20 |
OLIVER BEENE |
FOX |
5.1 |
6.62 |
22 |
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE |
FOX |
5.0 |
6.43 |
23 |
LAW & ORDER 3/12 |
NBC |
4.6 |
5.92 |
24 |
LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT |
NBC |
4.5 |
5.83 |
24 |
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE SPCL |
FOX |
4.5 |
5.81 |
26 |
YES, DEAR |
CBS |
4.4 |
5.60 |
27 |
ALIAS |
ABC |
4.3 |
5.59 |
27 |
KING OF QUEENS |
CBS |
4.3 |
5.52 |
29 |
CEDRIC ENTERTAINER: PRESN |
FOX |
4.2 |
5.37 |
29 |
BOOMTOWN |
NBC |
4.2 |
5.45 |
Source: ABC Networks, based on
data from Nielsen Media Research
|
CABLE TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending March
9
|
BASIC CABLE |
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
(000) |
Rtg
% |
(000) |
1 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW ZONE) |
TNN |
4043 |
3.8 |
5856 |
2 |
PRES NEWS CONF/ANALYSIS(S)-3/06 |
FOXNC |
3983 |
3.7 |
5938 |
3 |
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS CNFRNCE(S)-3/06 |
FOXNC |
3728 |
3.5 |
5576 |
4 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW) |
TNN |
3724 |
3.5 |
5353 |
5 |
SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD(S)-3/09 |
TNT |
3546 |
3.3 |
4763 |
6 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3385 |
3.2 |
5226 |
7 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3236 |
3.0 |
4606 |
8 |
THE OREILLY FACTOR |
FOXNC |
3171 |
3.0 |
4427 |
9 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3166 |
3.0 |
4709 |
10 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
3108 |
2.9 |
4680 |
11 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
3086 |
2.9 |
4511 |
12 |
SUNDAY MOVIE I (THE FAMILIAR
STRANGER) |
LIF |
3019 |
2.8 |
3522 |
13 |
BEST OF TLC WEEK(S)-3/08
(TRADING SPACES) |
TLC |
3002 |
2.8 |
4412 |
14 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2968 |
2.8 |
4102 |
15 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2860 |
2.7 |
4437 |
PAY CABLE |
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
(000) |
Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
SIX FEET UNDER |
HBO |
3458 |
3.2 |
5129 |
2 |
WCB:KLITSCHKO VS. SANDERS
(JONES, JR. VS. RUIZ) |
HBO |
2627 |
2.5 |
3843 |
3 |
WCB:KLITSCHKO VS. SANDERS (PRE
2) |
HBO |
2537 |
2.4 |
3483 |
4 |
WCB:KLITSCHKO VS. SANDERS (POST) |
HBO |
2521 |
2.4 |
3245 |
5 |
SOPRANOS, THE |
HBO |
2423 |
2.3 |
3374 |
Total U.S. ratings and
household projections are based on 106.7 million TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
SYNDICATION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending
March 2
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
US Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE |
KIN |
10.2 |
10857 |
2 |
JEOPARDY |
KIN |
7.9 |
8467 |
3 |
FRIENDS-SYN (AT) |
WB |
7.8 |
8272 |
4 |
SEINFELD (AT) |
SPT |
7.7 |
8204 |
5 |
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
6.8 |
7226 |
5 |
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT) |
KIN |
6.8 |
7213 |
7 |
SEINFELD-WKND (AT) |
SPT |
6.7 |
7180 |
8 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT) |
PRM |
6.3 |
6712 |
9 |
DR. PHIL SHOW |
KIN |
5.8 |
6208 |
10 |
JUDGE JUDY (AT) |
PRM |
5.5 |
5868 |
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE
TELEVISION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 9
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
NHTI*
Rtg% |
Projection
(000) |
1 |
ENTRE EL AMOR Y ODIO TUE |
UNI |
25.5 |
2481 |
2 |
ENTRE EL AMOR Y ODIO WED |
UNI |
25.3 |
2458 |
3 |
ENTRE EL AMOR Y ODIO MON |
UNI |
24.6 |
2393 |
4 |
ENTRE EL AMOR Y ODIO THU |
UNI |
24.4 |
2373 |
4 |
VIAS DEL AMOR TUE |
UNI |
24.4 |
2371 |
6 |
VIAS DEL AMOR MON |
UNI |
24.2 |
2354 |
7 |
ENTRE EL AMOR Y ODIO FRI |
UNI |
24.1 |
2343 |
8 |
VIAS DEL AMOR THU |
UNI |
23.6 |
2292 |
9 |
VIAS DEL AMOR WED |
UNI |
23.2 |
2255 |
10 |
VIAS DEL AMOR FRI |
UNI |
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