ABC wins for 10th week in a row behind `Millionaire'

BY DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- It's getting wonderfully monotonous for ABC. The network won the prime-time ratings race for the 10th week in a row thanks to ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.''

The five episodes that ABC aired easily were last week's five most-watched programs. None drew less than 28 million viewers, and Wednesday's edition had almost 32 million. No other program last week was seen by more than 19 million people.

Despite the nightly prayers of rival TV executives, ``Millionaire'' shows no signs of weakening.

``If anything, it's getting stronger now that it's airing against repeats,'' said Larry Hyams, chief of research at ABC.

It also helped that NBC's competing miniseries, ``The 10th Kingdom,'' was a flop. None of the three episodes that aired last week drew more than 11 million viewers. The continued ratings weakness of NBA basketball is also siphoning off viewers for NBC on Sundays.

Fox's airing of the ``TV Guide Awards'' on Sunday proved the public doesn't have an unlimited appetite for awards shows. It ranked No. 72 for the week, weakening Fox on a night the network is usually strong.

CBS's ``Grapevine'' had a middling premiere Monday, drawing more than 6 million fewer viewers than its lead-in, ``Everybody Loves Raymond.''

For the week, ABC had a prime-time average of 16.6 million viewers (10.9 rating, 18 share), CBS had 12.1 million viewers (8.5, 14), NBC had 10.8 million (7.5, 12) and Fox had 8.9 million (5.9, 9). UPN had 3.8 million viewers (2.6, 4), the WB was at 3.4 million (2.5, 4) and Pax TV had 980,000 viewers (0.7, 1).

NBC's ``Nightly News'' averaged 11.2 million viewers last week (8.3 rating, 17 share), edging ABC's ``World News Tonight,'' which had 11 million viewers (8.1, 16). The ``CBS Evening News'' pulled up the rear in the evening news competition with 8.7 million viewers (6.7, 13).

A rating point represents 1,008,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 100.8 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

Prime-time ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research for October Feb. 28 to March 5. Top 20 listings include the week's ranking, with rating for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses.

An ``X'' in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation. The rating is the percentage of the nation's estimated 100.8 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 1,008,000 households.

1. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Wednesday,'' ABC, 20.7, 21.0 million homes.
2. (1) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Tuesday,'' ABC, 20.0, 20.2 million homes.
3. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Monday,'' ABC, 18.8, 19.0 million homes.
4. (2) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Thursday,'' ABC, 18.4, 19.0 million homes.
5. (3) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Sunday,'' ABC, 17.5, 18.0 million homes.
6. (8) ``60 Minutes,'' CBS, 13.9, 14.0 million words.
7. (5) ``Friends,'' NBC, 12.6, 13.0 million homes.
8. (13) ``Law and Order,'' NBC, 12.5, 13.0 million homes.
9. (25) ``The Drew Carey Show,'' ABC, 12.0, 12.1 million homes.
10. (10) ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, 11.6, 11.7 million homes.
11. (20) ``Dharma & Greg,'' ABC, 11.5, 11.6 million homes.
12. (19) ``Judging Amy,'' CBS, 11.2, 11.3 million homes.
13. (13) ``The Practice,'' ABC, 11.0, 11.1 million homes.
13. (9) ``Touched by an Angel,'' CBS, 11.0, 11.1 million homes.
15. (31) ``Dateline Friday,'' NBC, 10.8, 10.9 million homes.
15. (4) ``ER,'' NBC, 10.8, 10.9 million homes.
17. (11) ``Jesse,'' NBC, 10.7, 10.8 million homes.
18. (16) ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 10.6, 11.0 million homes.
19. (6) ``Frasier,'' NBC, 10.5, 10.5 million homes.
19. (2) ``JAG,'' CBS, 10.5, 10.6 million homes.
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21. ``ABC Monday Night Movie: The Beach Boys, Part 2'' ABC, 10.
22. ``CBS Sunday Night Movie: Catching a Falling Star,'' CBS, 10.3
23. ``20/20-Downtown,'' ABC, 10.2
23. ``Ally McBeal,'' Fox, 10.2
23. ``CBS Wednesday Movie: Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, Part 2'' CBS, 10.2
26. ``Just Shoot Me,'' NBC, 9.4
27. ``Norm,'' ABC, 9.3
27. ``Stark Raving Mad,'' NBC, 9.3
29. ``20/20-Friday,'' 8.9
29. ``Whose Line is it Anyway,'' ABC, 8.9
31. ``60 Minutes II,'' CBS, 8.8
32. ``Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,'' NBC, 8.7
33. ``Will & Grace,'' NBC, 8.6
34. ``Dateline NBC-Tuesday,'' NBC, 8.3
35. ``20/20-Wednesday,'' ABC, 8.1
36. ``Providence,'' NBC, 8.0
36. ``Third Watch,'' NBC, 8.0
38. ``The Wonderful World of Disney: Life-Size,'' ABC, 7.9
39. ``Walker, Texas Ranger,'' CBS, 7.8
40. ``Grapevine,'' CBS, 7.7
40. ``Whose Line is it Anyway?'' ABC, 7.7
42. ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 7.6
43. (X) ``Becker,'' CBS, 7.4
43. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 7.4
43. ``Sports Night,'' ABC, 7.4
46. ``Early Edition,'' CBS, 7.3
46. ``Family Law,'' CBS, 7.3
46. (X) ``NBC Movie of the Week: 10th Kingdom Part III,'' NBC, 7.3
49. (X) ``NBC Movie of the Week: 10th Kingdom Part II,'' NBC, 7.1
50. ``48 Hours,'' CBS, 7.0
51. (X) ``Greed,'' Fox, 6.9
52. ``Nash Bridges,'' CBS, 6.7
53. ``Martial Law,'' CBS, 6.5
54. (X) ``Greed,'' Fox, 6.3
54. ``Kids Say the Darndest Things,'' CBS, 6.3
54. ``Sabrina-Teenage Witch,'' ABC, 6.3
57. ``COPS 2: Forth Worth,'' Fox, 6.2
57. ``NBC Sunday Night Movie: 10th Kingdom Part IV,'' NBC, 6.2
59. ``AMW: America Fights Back,'' Fox, 6.1
60. ``ABC Saturday Night Movie: Waterworld,'' ABC, 6.0
60. (X) ``The Simpsons,'' Fox, 6.0
60. ``That '70s Show,'' Fox, 6.0
60. (X) ``That '70s Show,'' Fox, 6.0
64. ``Greed,'' Fox, 5.9
64. ``The Hughleys,'' ABC, 5.9
64. (X) Sabrina-Teenage Witch,'' ABC, 5.9
67. ``Boy Meets World,'' ABC, 5.8
68. ``The Others,'' NBC, 5.7
68. ``Worlds Wildest Police Videos,'' Fox, 5.7
70. ``COPS: Forth Worth,'' Fox, 5.5
71. ``City of Angels,'' CBS, 5.4
72. (X) ``Second Annual TV Guide Awards,'' Fox, 5.3
73. ``Cosby,'' CBS, 5.1
73. ``Now and Again,'' CBS, 5.1
73. (X) ``SNL: Game Show,'' NBC, 5.1
76. ``FOX Thursday Night Movie: Bad Boys,'' Fox, 5.0
77. (X) ``TV Guide Sitcom Scandal,'' Fox, 4.8
78. ``WWF SMACKDOWN!'' UPN, 4.7
79. ``Beverly Hills, 90210,'' Fox, 4.6
80. (X) ``The Simpsons,'' Fox, 4.5
81. ``Pretender,'' NBC, 4.4
82. ``7th Heaven,'' WB, 4.3
83. ``NBA Basketball GM Sunday: Miami at L.A. Lakers,'' NBC, 4.1
84. ``Dateline Sunday,'' NBC, 4.0
85. ``Angel,'' WB, 3.6
86. ``Buffy, The Vampire Slayer,'' WB, 3.5
87. ``Star Trek: Voyager,'' UPN, 3.4
88. ``Dawson's Creek,'' WB, 3.2
89. ``Charmed,'' WB, 2.7
89. ``Roswell,'' WB, 2.7
91. ``The Parkers,'' UPN, 2.4
92. ``Moesha,'' UPN, 2.3
93. ``Malcolm & Eddie,'' UPN, 2.1
93. ``The Steve Harvey Show,'' WB, 2.1
95. ``Grown Ups,'' UPN, 1.9
95. ``Jack & Jill,'' WB, 1.9
95. ``The Jamie Foxx Show,'' WB, 1.9
95. ``The Jamie Foxx Show1,'' WB, 1.9
95. ``Popular,'' WB, 1.9
100. ``7 Days,'' UPN, 1.8
100. ``For Your Love,'' WB, 1.8
100. ``I Dare You!'' UPN, 1.8
103. ``Blockbuster Cinema: Code Name Phoenix,'' UPN, 1.7
103. ``Popular-Monday,'' WB, 1.7
105. ``7th Heaven-Beginnings,'' WB, 1.5
105. ``Felicity,'' WB, 1.5
105. (X) ``Monster Trux 2000,'' UPN, 1.5
108. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' Pax, 1.4
109. ``Touched by an Angel,'' Pax, 1.2
110. ``Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.1
111. ``Diagnosis Murder-Friday,'' Pax, 1.0
111. ``Diagnosis Murder-Thursday,'' Pax, 1.0
111. ``Touched by an Angel-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.0
114. ``Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday,'' Pax, 0.9
114. ``Touched by an Angel-Monday,'' Pax, 0.9
116. ``It's a Miracle,'' Pax, 0.8
117. ``It's a Miracle, Encore,'' Pax, 0.7
118. ``It's a Miracle-Friday,'' Pax, 0.6
118. ``PAXTV Three-Hanky Mocie: Eight is Enough: A Family Reunion,'' Pax, 0.6
118. ``Touched by an Angel-Friday,'' Pax, 0.6
118. ``Touched by an Angel-Thursday,'' Pax, 0.6
122. (X) ``Eight is Enough,'' Pax, 0.5
122. (X) ``Eight is Enough,'' Pax, 0.5
122. (X) ``Star Skates on Broadway,'' Pax, 0.5
125. ``Chicken Soup for the Soul,'' Pax, 0.4
125. ``Hope Island,'' Pax, 0.4
125. ``Touched by an Angel,'' Pax, 0.4
125. ``Twice in a Lifetime,'' Pax, 0.4