‘Closer’ helps TNT ratings; CBS nabs top spot

Thu., June 23, 2005

David Bauder Associated Press

The taste for new programming doesn’t disappear just because it’s summer, and TNT benefited last week.

“The Closer,” starring Kyra Sedgwick as a CIA-trained detective, was seen by more than 7 million viewers in its June 13 debut, according to Nielsen Media Research.

That’s a gigantic hit in the cable world: It was the top-rated premiere episode ever of any original scripted series on basic cable.

TNT also has given its audience plenty of chances to see the Steven Spielberg miniseries “Into the West,” playing new episodes each Friday at 8 p.m., then repeating it at the same time Saturdays and Sundays. Add those three nights together, and 11.3 million people saw it last week.

ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” was again the week’s most popular program. And even though fans haven’t seemed to care much about the National Basketball Association finals, the three prime-time games helped ABC place first among the youthful viewers advertisers seek.

CBS still was the most popular network among all viewers, primarily because its repeats fare better than those of most of its rivals.

For the week, CBS averaged 7.8 million viewers in prime time (5.4 rating, 10 share.) ABC averaged 6.9 million (4.6, 9), NBC 6.1 million (4.4, 8), Fox 4.9 million (3.2, 6), UPN 2.6 million (1.7, 3) and the WB 2.3 million (1.6, 3).

A ratings point represents 1,096,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation’s estimated 109.6 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

The top 10 shows for the week ending Sunday: “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC, 15.7 million viewers; NBA Finals Game 5: San Antonio at Detroit, ABC, 13.1 million, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS, 12.4 million; “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 11.3 million; NBA Finals Game 4: San Antonio at Detroit, ABC, 10.9 million; “Without a Trace,” CBS, 10.9 million; NBA Finals Game 3: San Antonio vs. Detroit, ABC, 10.6 million; “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 10.6 million; Movie: “Twelve Mile Road,” CBS, 9.9 million; “Law & Order,” NBC, 9.6 million.