‘Ellen,’ ‘Forrest Gump’ Help Bring Ratings Win To Abc

Beleaguered ABC, powered by “Ellen’s” coming-out episode and the broadcast TV premiere of “Forrest Gump,” savored an important ratings victory last week.

Tuesday’s Nielsen Media Research ratings came just a day after ABC executives were forced to deny published rumors that its programming chief would lose her job because the network had sunk to third place for the season.

ABC finished with a 10.8 rating and 18 share for the week. NBC was second with a 10 rating and 17 share, followed by CBS’s 9.5 rating and 16 share. Fox was fourth with a 7 rating and 11 share.

“Ellen’s” much-hyped episode in which Ellen DeGeneres’ character declared her homosexuality was the week’s top-rated show, followed by NBC’s “ER.”

ABC’s showing of “Forrest Gump” on Sunday night was the eighth-rated show of the week. The network’s miniseries of Stephen King’s “The Shining” finished in the top 20.

Prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for April 28-04. 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. (X) “Ellen,” ABC, 23.4, 22.7 million homes.

2. (1) “ER,” NBC, 22.2, 21.5 million homes.

3. (2) “Seinfeld,” NBC, 20.3, 19.7 million homes.

4. (14) “PrimeTime Live,” ABC, 16.8, 16.3 million homes.

5. (4) “Friends,” NBC, 16.6, 16.1 million homes.

6. (4) “Fired Up,” NBC, 15.5 , 15.0 million homes.

7. (3) “Suddenly Susan,” NBC, 15.2, 14.7 million homes.

8. (X) “ABC Sunday Night Movie: Forrest Gump,” ABC, 14.5, 14.1 million homes.

9. (10) “Touched by an Angel,” CBS, 14.0 , 13.6 million homes.

10. (9) “Home Improvement,” ABC, 12.7, 12.3 million homes.

11. (X) “World Premiere Movie: Walker, Sons of Thunder,” CBS, 12.2, 11.8 million homes.

12. (13) “NYPD Blue,” ABC, 12.1, 11.7 million homes.

12. (X) “Stephen King’s ‘The Shining”’ ABC, 12.1, 11.7 million homes.

14. (X) “Stephen King’s ‘The Shining”’ ABC, 11.9, 11.5 million homes.

14. (11) “60 Minutes,” CBS, 11.9, 11.5 million homes.

16. (12) “20/20,” ABC, 11.6, 11.3 million homes.

17. (X) “Chicago Hope,” CBS 11.4, 11.1 million homes.

17. (X) “Grace Under Fire,” ABC, 11.4, 11.1 million homes.

17. (20) “NBC Sunday Night Movie: Robin Cook’s Invasion, Part 1,” NBC, 11.4, 11.1 million homes.

17. (23) “Walker, Texas Ranger,” CBS, 11.4, 11.1 million homes.