Nbc Leads Nielsen Ratings At Start Of Sweeps

Thu., May 1, 1997

Associated Press

NBC reigned supreme in the ratings as television networks began a month’s worth of special programming crucial to advertisers.

Season-leader NBC finished first last week with a 10.9 rating and 19 share, according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Tuesday.

The week included the first four days of the important May “sweeps” period, one of four months a year when Nielsen canvasses local markets for ratings that will be used to set advertising rates.

CBS finished second for the week, with a 10.0 rating and 17 share. ABC was third with an 8.1 rating and 14 share, followed by Fox’s 7.1 rating and 12 share.

Prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for April 21-27. 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 97.0 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 970,000 households.

1. (1) “ER,” NBC, 23.1, 22.4 million homes.

2. (2) “Seinfeld,” NBC, 21.1, 20.5 million homes.

3. (3) “Fired Up,” NBC, 17.5, 17.0 million homes.

4. (4) “Touched by an Angel,” CBS, 15.8, 15.3 million homes.

5. (5) “Friends,” NBC, 15.5, 15.0 million homes.

6. (7). “CBS Sunday Movie: A Match Made in Heaven,” CBS, 14.8, 14.4 million homes.

6. (4) “Suddenly Susan,” NBC, 14.8, 14.4 million homes.

8. (12) “20/20,” ABC, 14.2, 13.8 million homes.

9. (X) “32nd Country Music Awards” NBC, 13.1, 12.7 million homes.

10. (24) “Walker, Texas Ranger,” CBS, 12.7, 12.3 million homes.

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