ABC wins its fourth ratings week in a row

BY FRAZIER MOORE
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- ABC retained the prime-time ratings crown for a fourth straight week, according to Nielsen Media Research released Wednesday.

Giving ABC an assist were the season return of ``NYPD Blue'' (ranked 19th place), ``The American Music Awards'' (23rd) and the premiere of the reality series ``The Mole'' (30th), as well as ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' (in four of the top 17 slots) and ``The Practice'' (in a tie for 5th).

For the week, ABC scored an average audience of 13.7 million viewers (9.0 household rating, 14 share).

In second place, CBS had 12.5 million viewers (8.7 rating, 14 share), NBC had an average of 12.3 million viewers (8.3 rating, 13 share), while Fox had 10.6 million viewers (6.6 rating, 10 share).

UPN had 3.9 million viewers (2.5 rating, 4 share), the WB had 3.8 million viewers (2.5 rating, 4 share), and Pax TV had 1.4 million viewers (0.9 rating, 1 share).

Meanwhile in the news war, there were continued glad tidings for CBS.

``The CBS Evening News,'' which traditionally occupies third place but snagged second in last week's report, held onto that slot in the current survey with 10.1 million viewers. ABC's ``World News Tonight'' had 10.0 million viewers (though edging out CBS in the ratings, 7.7 to 7.5).

``NBC Nightly News'' stood firm in first place with 11.5 million viewers (8.4 rating).

A rating point represents 1,022,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 102.2 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

For the week of Jan. 8-14, the top 10 shows, their networks and ratings: ``ER,'' NBC, 18.8; AFC Championship--Postgame, CBS, 15.2; ``Friends,'' NBC, 14.8; ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' (Wednesday), ABC, 14.1; tie: ``Law & Order,'' NBC, ``The Practice,'' ABC, and ``Will & Grace,'' NBC, all 13.3; tie: ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, and ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' (Sunday), ABC, both 13.2; ``Frasier,'' NBC, 12.5.

1. (1) ``ER,'' NBC, 18.8, 19.2 million homes.
2. (X) ``AFC Championship Postgame: Baltimore at Oakland,'' CBS, 15.2, 15.5 million homes.
3. (4) ``Friends,'' NBC, 14.8, 15.1 million homes.
4. (2) ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Wednesday,'' ABC, 14.1, 14.4 million homes.
5. (13) ``Law & Order,'' NBC, 13.3, 13.6 million homes.
5. (8) ``The Practice,'' ABC, 13.3, 13.6 million homes.
5. (10) ``Will & Grace,'' NBC, 13.3, 13.6 million homes.
8. (5) ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, 13.2, 13.5 million homes.
8. (6) ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Sunday,'' ABC, 13.2, 13.5 million homes.
10. (11) ``Frasier,'' NBC, 12.5, 12.8 million homes.
11. (8) ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Thursday,'' ABC, 12.3, 12.6 million homes.
11. (15) ``Just Shoot Me,'' NBC, 12.3, 12.6 million homes.
11. (15) ``60 Minutes,'' CBS, 12.3, 12.5 million homes.
14. (11) ``The West Wing,'' NBC, 12.0, 12.3 million homes.
15. (14) ``Becker,'' CBS, 11.5, 11.8 million homes.
16. (25) ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,'' CBS, 11.4, 11.6 million homes.
17. (18) ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Friday,'' ABC, 11.2, 11.4 million homes.
18. (17) ``Three Sisters,'' NBC, 11.1, 11.3 million homes.
19. (19) ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 10.9, 11.1 million homes.
20. (26) ``Weber Show,'' NBC, 10.7, 11.0 million homes.
-------------
21. ``JAG,'' CBS, 10.6
22. ``Temptation Island,'' FOX, 10.5
23. (X) ``American Music Awards,'' ABC, 10.4
24. ``Judging Amy,'' CBS, 10.2
25. ``Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit,'' NBC, 9.9
26. ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 9.8
27. ''20/20-Friday,'' ABC, 9.5
28. ``Providence,'' NBC, 9.4
29. ``Family Law,'' CBS, 9.3
30. ``The Mole,'' ABC, 8.9
30. ``Yes, Dear,'' CBS, 8.9
32. ``CBS Sunday Movie: Tomorrow Never Dies,'' CBS, 8.8
32. ``Dateline-Friday,'' NBC, 8.8
32. ``Dateline-Tuesday,'' NBC, 8.8
35. ``Boston Public,'' FOX, 8.7
35. ``Drew Carey Show,'' ABC, 8.7
35. ``Primetime-Thursday,'' ABC, 8.7
38. ``60 Minutes II,'' CBS, 8.6
38. ``Simpsons,'' FOX, 8.6
40. ``CBS Wednesday Movie: Dodson's Journey,'' CBS, 8.4
41. ``Ally McBeal,'' FOX, 8.3
41. ``Malcolm in the Middle,'' FOX, 8.3
43. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 8.2
44. ``The District,'' CBS, 8.0
45. ``Dharma & Greg,'' ABC, 7.9
45. ``Grounded for Life,'' FOX, 7.9
47. ``Nash Bridges,'' CBS, 7.8
47. ``That '70s Show,'' FOX, 7.8
49. ``Whose Line is it Anyway?-8:30pm,'' ABC, 7.6
50. ``Ed,'' NBC, 7.5
50. ``That '70s Show 2,'' FOX, 7.5
52. ``Dateline-Sunday-8pm,'' NBC, 7.4
53. ``Spin City,'' ABC, 7.2
54. ``The X-Files,'' FOX, 7.1
55. ``Dark Angel,'' FOX, 6.9
55. ``Titus,'' FOX, 6.9
57. ``Geena Davis Show,'' ABC, 6.8
57. ``NBC Sunday Night Movie: Men in Black,'' NBC, 6.8
59. ``Cops 2: Jacksonville,'' FOX, 6.7
60. ``America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back,'' FOX, 6.6
60. ``Once and Again,'' ABC, 6.6
62. ``Wonderful World of Disney: Jungle 2 Jungle,'' ABC, 6.5
63. ``Walker, Texas Ranger,'' CBS, 6.4
64. ``DAG,'' NBC, 6.3
64. (X) ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 6.3
66. ``Cops: Jacksonville,'' FOX, 5.9
66. ``Whose Line is it Anyway?,'' ABC, 5.9
68. ``3rd Rock from the Sun,'' NBC, 5.8
68. ``ABC Saturday Night Movie: The Fifth Element,'' ABC, 5.8
68. ``Dateline-Monday,'' NBC, 5.8
68. ``King of the Hill,'' FOX, 5.8
72. ``Bette,'' CBS, 5.7
73. ``48 Hours,'' CBS, 5.6
73. ``Third Watch,'' NBC, 5.6
73. ``Two Guys and a Girl,'' ABC, 5.6
76. ``The Fugitive,'' CBS, 5.5
77. ``That's Life,'' CBS, 5.1
78. ``Mysterious Ways,'' NBC, 5.0
79. ``Police Videos,'' FOX, 4.9
80. ``Welcome to New York,'' CBS, 4.8
80. ``WWF Smackdown!,'' UPN, 4.8
82. ``Norm,'' ABC, 4.7
83. ``FOX Thursday Night Movie: Scream,'' FOX, 4.4
84. ``Futurama,'' FOX, 4.3
85. (X) ``Dixie Chicks: On the Fly,'' NBC, 4.1
86. (X) ``Gary & Mike (1/11),'' UPN, 3.6
87. ``Charmed,'' WB, 3.4
87. ``Dawson's Creek,'' WB, 3.4
89. ``7th Heaven,'' WB, 3.2
90. ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer,'' WB, 3.0
90. ``NBC Saturday Night Movies: Batman Forever,'' NBC, 3.0
92. ``Popstars,'' WB, 2.9
93. ``Gilmore Girls,'' WB, 2.8
94. ``Freakylinks,'' FOX, 2.5
94. ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch,'' WB, 2.5
96. ``Jack & Jill,'' WB, 2.3
96. ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch,'' WB, 2.3
96. ``Star Trek: Voyager,'' UPN, 2.3
96. ``The Steve Harvey Show,'' WB, 2.3
100. ``7 Days,'' UPN, 2.2
100. (X) ``Cheating Spouses: On Tape,'' UPN, 2.2
102. ``Angel,'' WB, 2.0
102. ``Gary & Mike,'' UPN, 2.0
102. ``UPN's Movie Tuesday: Code Red: Rubicon Conspiracy,'' UPN, 2.0
105. ``Hughleys, The,'' UPN, 1.9
105. ``The Jamie Foxx Show,'' WB, 1.9
107. ``Moesha,'' UPN, 1.8
108. ``Celebrity Deathmatch,'' UPN, 1.7
108. ``Girlfriends,'' UPN, 1.7
108. ``The Parkers,'' UPN, 1.7
108. ``PJs,'' WB, 1.7
112. ``Hype,'' WB, 1.6
112. ``Nikki,'' WB, 1.6
112. ``Roswell,'' WB, 1.6
115. ``Diagnosis Murder-Monday,'' PAX, 1.4
115. ``Grosse Pointe,'' WB, 1.4
117. ``Touched by an Angel-Monday,'' PAX, 1.3
118. ``Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday,'' PAX, 1.2
118. ``Touched by an Angel-Wednesday,'' PAX, 1.2
120. ``Mysterious Ways,'' PAX, 1.1
121. ``Diagnosis Murder-Thursday,'' PAX, 1.0
121. ``Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday,'' PAX, 1.0
121. ``It's a Miracle,'' PAX, 1.0
121. ``Pax Big Event Sunday: The Butcher's Wife,'' PAX, 1.0
121. ``Touched by an Angel-Tuesday,'' PAX, 1.0
126. ``Mysterious Ways Encore,'' PAX, 0.9
127. ``Diagnosis Murder-Friday,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``It's a Miracle Encore,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``Miracle Pets,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``Miracle Pets Encore,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``Touched by an Angel-Friday,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``Touched by an Angel-Thursday,'' PAX, 0.8
127. ``Twice in a Lifetime,'' PAX, 0.8
134. ``Encounters With the Unexplained,'' PAX, 0.7
134. ``Twice in a Lifetime Encore,'' PAX, 0.7
136. ``Encounters With the Unexplained Encore,'' PAX, 0.5

#	Air Date
101	11/2/98
102	11/9/98
103	11/16/98
	11/23/98
104	11/30/98
105	12/7/98
106	12/14/98
107	12/21/98
	12/28/98
	1/4/99
108	1/11/99
109	1/18/99
110	1/25/99
111	2/1/99
112	2/8/99
113	2/15/99
114	2/22/99
115	3/1/99
116	3/8/99
	3/15/99
	3/22/99
	3/29/99
117	4/5/99
118	4/12/99
119	4/19/99
103	4/26/99
120	5/3/99
121	5/10/99
122	5/17/99
	5/24/99
	5/31/99
	6/7/99
	6/14/99
	6/21/99
	6/28/99
	7/5/99
	7/12/99
	7/19/99
	7/26/99
	7/28/99
	8/2/99
	8/9/99
	8/16/99
	8/23/99
	9-6-99
	9-13-99
201	9-20-99
202	9-27-99
203	10-4-99
204	10-11-99
205	10-18-99
206	10/25/99
207	11/1/99
208	11/8/99
209	11/15/99
210	11/22/99
211	11/29/99
201	12/6/99
212	12/13/99
118	12/20/99
119	12/27/99
121	1/3/2000
213	1/10/00
214	1/17/00
122	1/24/00
203	1/31/00
215	2/7/00
216	2/14/00
217	2/21/00
218	2/28/00
	3/6/00
	3/13/00
219	3/20/00
	3/27/00
	4/3/00
220	4/10/00
221	4/17/00
222	4/24/00
223	5/01/00
224	5/08/00