Abc Wins Tight Ratings Race

In a week that otherwise showed some ominous signs for network television’s ability to hold an audience, ABC won an extraordinarily tight race in Nielsen Media Research’s ratings.

ABC had a 9.5 rating and a 16 share for the week of Dec. 2-8, CBS finished second with a 9.4 rating and 15 share while NBC, the season’s ratings leader, landed in third with a 9.2 rating and 15 share. Fox had an 8.3 rating and 13 share, Nielsen said Tuesday.

ABC’s tally was the lowest rating to win a week during the 12-week television season, Nielsen said.

Said Steven Sternberg, a television analyst for Bozell, Inc.: “The audience isn’t going to other networks,” he said. “It’s going to cable.”

Prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 2-8. Top 20 listings include the week’s ranking, with rating for the week, season-to-date rankings in parentheses, and total homes.

An “X” in parentheses denotes one-time-only presentation. A rating measures the percentage of the nation’s 97 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 970,000 households.

1. (1) “Seinfeld,” NBC, 16.9, 16.4 million homes

2. (1) “ER,” NBC, 16.4, 15.9 million homes

3. (16) “CBS Sunday Movie: Mrs. Santa Claus,” CBS, 14.7, 14.3 million homes

3. (X) “Men Behaving Badly,” NBC, 14.7, 14.3 million homes

5. (6) “Home Improvement,” ABC, 14.4, 14.0 million homes

6. (4) “Friends,” NBC, 14.3, 13.9 million homes

7. (X) “Barbara Walters Special,” ABC, 14.2, 13.7 million homes

8. (X) “Sears Family Theater: Home Alone 2,” Fox, 13.8, 13.4 million homes

9. (5) “NFL Monday Night Football,” ABC, 13.6, 13.2 million homes

10. (8) “NYPD Blue,” ABC, 13.3, 12.9 million homes