`E.R.’ Tops The Ratings For Fourth Time

“E.R.” was the big operator again last week.

The NBC hospital drama not only logged its fourth first-place win in five weeks - it lassoed four out of every 10 households watching TV during its Thursday time period. Runnerup was “Seinfeld,” NBC’s smash sitcom lead-in to “E.R.”

This one-two punch helped NBC tie ABC in prime-time for the week ending Feb. 12, according to Nielsen Media Research figures.

ABC and NBC shared the top slot with a 12.4 rating and 20 share. In second place for the week, CBS had an 11.7 rating and 18 share.

Programming 15 of the 22 primetime hours, Fox had a 7.9 rating and 12 share.

The UPN (United Paramount) weblet, programming four hours weekly, scored a 4.3 rating and 6 share. The WB (Warner Bros.) weblet, with two hours, logged a 2 rating and 3 share.

In the evening news race, ABC’s “World News Tonight” notched its 127th first-place finish of the last 128 weeks, with a 10.4 rating and 19 share. “The CBS Evening News” crept into second place with an 8.9 rating and 16 share. Ranked third, “NBC Nightly News” scored an 8.4 rating and 16 share.