Orange Bowl Coverage Helps Cbs Score Ratings Win

CBS rang in the New Year with a ratings win last week.

Along with its broadcast of the “Fedex Orange Bowl” (which ranked fifth for the week), CBS scored big with “Touched By an Angel” and “60 Minutes” (second and third), the 10th-ranked Sunday movie (“Scattering Dad”), and the series premier of “The Magnificent Seven” (14th place). All helped the network land a 9.3 household rating and 16 share, according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Thursday.

Coming in second was NBC, with an 8.6 rating and 15 share in prime time for the week of Dec. 29. ABC had a 7.8 rating and 13 share, and Fox (programming 15 hours) had a 6.4 rating and 11 share, Nielsen said.

NBC remained in first place for the 15-week-old 1997-98 season, with a 10.3 rating season-to-date. CBS was the runner-up with a 9.4, while ABC was 8.8 and Fox 7.1.

Prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 29-Jan. 4. Top 10 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 estimated 97 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 980,000 households.

1. (X) “Rose Bowl-Post,” ABC, 16.8, 16.3 million homes.

2. (6) “Touched By An Angel,” CBS, 16.2, 17.7 million homes.

3. (7) “60 Minutes,” CBS, 15.6, 15.1 million homes.

4. (2) (X) “Seinfeld,” NBC, 13.4, 13.0 million homes.

5. (X) “Fedex Orange Bowl: Nebraska vs. Tennessee,” CBS, 13.3, 12.9 million homes.

6. (12) “X-Files,” Fox, 11.6, 11.3 million homes.

7. (X) “Sugar Bowl: Florida State vs. Ohio State,” ABC, 11.2, 10.9 million homes.

8. (1) (X) “E.R.,” NBC, 11.1, 10.8 million homes.

8. (X) “Just Shoot Me,” NBC, 11.1, 10.8 million homes.

10. (9) “CBS Sunday Movie: Scattering Dad,” CBS, 11.0, 10.7 million homes.

10. (29) “Dateline NBC-Sunday,” NBC, 11.0, 10.7 million homes.

12. (X) “Fedex Orange Pregame,” CBS , 10.9, 10.6 million homes.

13. (18) “20/20,” ABC, 10.8, 10.5 million homes.

14. (10) “Home Improvement,” ABC, 10.6, 10.3 million homes.

14. (23) “Magnificent Seven,” CBS, 10.6, 10.3 million homes.

16. (4) (X) “Friends,” NBC, 10.5, 10.2 million homes.

16. “NBC Sunday Night Movie: Blackout Effect,” 10.5, 10.2 million homes.

18. (17) “Dateline NBC-Monday,” NBC, 10.4, 10.1 million homes .

18. “Walker, Texas Ranger,” CBS, 10.4, 10.1 million homes.

20. (13) “Dateline NBC-Tuesday,” NBC, 10.1, 9.8 million homes.