June 5 - 11

ABC slips to an unfamiliar spot in the ratings: third place

BY DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Riding the instant success of ``Survivor,'' CBS had a solid week in the prime-time television ratings and ABC learned how far it could sink when it has to pre-empt Regis Philbin.

With 18 million viewers, more people watched the strangers testing their survival skills on a rat-infested island last week than tuned in to any of the first three games of the NBA Finals, Nielsen Media Research said Tuesday.

``Survivor'' even beat ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' in head-to-head competition on June 7.

ABC, the season's ratings leader, slipped to third place for the week, primarily because it devoted three nights of prime-time to the Stanley Cup hockey finals between Dallas and New Jersey. It was the network's worst week since December, before ``Millionaire'' joined the regular schedule.

By hockey's standards, the matchup did well: Thursday night's long, tense overtime struggle drew the highest household ratings for a Stanley Cup finals game in 20 years, according to ABC.

Still, Thursday's average audience for the hockey game was less than a quarter of what ABC could have expected from ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.''

Fox's highest-rated show of the week was its concert special with Britney Spears from Hawaii. Its effort at duplicating ABC's game show success with ``Chance of a Lifetime'' fell flat, however.

NBC had a respectable showing with its summer series, ``M.Y.O.B.,'' while ABC cancelled its poor-performing ``Clerks'' after two showings.

NBC averaged 10.66 million viewers in prime-time last week, narrowly edging CBS' 10.61 million viewers. CBS' ratings were slightly higher (7.6 rating, 14 share) than NBC's (7.5, 14), which indicates that more CBS viewers were watching alone.

ABC had 9.3 million viewers on average (6.3 rating, 11 share), Fox had 6.4 million viewers (4.3, 8), UPN had 3.7 million (2.4, 4 share), the WB had 2.4 million (1.7, 3) and Pax TV had 1.2 million (0.9, 2).

NBC's ``Nightly News'' dominated the evening news ratings race with 9.4 million viewers (7.0 rating, 16 share). ABC's ``World News Tonight'' had 8.1 million viewers (6.0, 14), and the ``CBS Evening News'' had 7.4 million viewers (5.8, 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.

For the week of June 5-11, the top 10 shows, their networks and ratings were:

1. (3) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Sunday,'' ABC, 16.3, 16.45 million homes.
2. (1) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Tuesday,'' ABC, 15.8, 15.96 million homes.
3. (17) ``Survivor,'' CBS, 11.7, 11.77 million homes.
4. (15) ''48 Hours-Monday,'' CBS, 11.2, 11.31 million homes.
5. (X) ``NBA Finals: Game 3: L.A. Lakers at Indiana,'' NBC, 10.7, 10.84 million homes.
6. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Wednesday,'' ABC, 10.6, 10.70 million homes.
7. (X) ``NBA Finals: Game 1: Indiana at L.A. Lakers,'' NBC, 10.5, 10.56 million homes.
8. (13) ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, 10.3, 10.37 million homes.
9. (9) ''60 Minutes,'' CBS, 10.1, 10.13 million homes.
10. (X) ``NBA Finals: Game 2: Indiana at L.A. Lakers,'' NBC, 9.9, 10.02 million homes.
11. (10) ``The Practice,'' ABC, 9.7, 9.79 million homes.
12. (7) ``Frasier,'' NBC, 9.6, 9.63 million homes.
13. (21) ``Becker,'' CBS, 9.3, 9.38 million homes.
14. (37) ``CBS Wednesday Movie: Now and Then,'' CBS, 8.9, 8.97 million homes.
15. (34) ``Law and Order-Monday,'' NBC, 8.8, 8.91 million homes.
16. (28) ''60 Minutes II,'' CBS, 8.7, 8.74 million homes.
17. (13) ``Touched by an Angel,'' CBS, 8.5, 8.57 million homes.
18. (21) ``Dharma & Greg,'' ABC, 8.4, 8.44 million homes.
19. (61) ``Just Shoot Me,'' NBC, 8.3, 8.33 million homes.
20. (75) ''48 Hours,'' CBS, 8.1, 8.16 million homes.
20. (X) ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 8.1, 8.18 million homes.
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22. ``Judging Amy,'' CBS, 8.0
23. ``Dateline NBC-Tuesday,'' NBC, 7.8
23. ``Friends,'' NBC, 7.8
25. ``Dateline NBC-Monday,'' NBC, 7.6
26. ''20/20-Friday,'' ABC, 7.5
26. ``ER,'' NBC, 7.5
28. ``CBS Sunday Movie: Journey of the Heart,'' CBS, 7.4
28. ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 7.4
28. (X) ``NBA Finals Tip-Off: Game 1,'' NBC, 7.4
31. ``The Drew Carey Show,'' ABC, 7.3
32. ``JAG,'' CBS, 7.1
33. ''20/20-Wednesday,'' ABC, 7.0
33. (X) ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 7.0
35. ``Third Watch,'' NBC, 6.9
36. (X) ``Britney in Hawaii,'' Fox, 6.8
36. ``Dateline NBC-Wednesday,'' NBC, 6.8
38. ''3rd Rock From the Sun,'' NBC, 6.7
38. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 6.7
38. (X) ``The Drew Carey Show-Tuesday,'' ABC, 6.7
41. ``Will & Grace,'' NBC, 6.6
42. ``Wonderful World of Disney: Gold Diggers: Secret of Bear Mountain,'' ABC, 6.4
43. ``M.Y.O.B.,'' NBC, 6.3
44. (X) ``NBA Finals Tip-Off: Game 2,'' NBC, 6.2
45. ``The Simpsons,'' Fox, 5.8
46. (X) ``Candid Camera,'' CBS, 5.7
46. (X) ``Dateline NBC-Friday,'' NBC, 5.7
48. ``Nash Bridges,'' CBS, 5.6
48. ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 5.6
50. ``Malcolm in the Middle,'' Fox, 5.5
50. ``NBC Saturday Night Movies: I.Q.,'' NBC, 5.5
52. ``Walker, Texas Ranger,'' CBS, 5.3
53. ``Falcone,'' CBS, 5.2
54. ``World Wrestling Federation Smackdown!,'' UPN, 5.0
55. ``NBA Showtime-Sunday,'' NBC, 4.9
56. ``Candid Camera,'' CBS, 4.8
56. (X) ``Daddio,'' NBC, 4.8
58. ``Greed,'' Fox, 4.7
59. ``Cops 2: Indianapolis,'' Fox, 4.6
59. ``X-Files,'' Fox, 4.6
61. (X) ``Chance of a Lifetime,'' Fox, 4.4
61. ``Making the Band,'' ABC, 4.4
63. (X) ``ABC Stanley Cup Final-Game 5: Dallas at New Jersey,'' ABC, 4.2
63. (X) ``ABC Stanley Cup Final-Game 6: New Jersey at Dallas,'' ABC, 4.2
63. (X) ``Chance of a Lifetime,'' Fox, 4.2
63. (X) ``Chance of a Lifetime,'' Fox, 4.2
67. ''48 Hours-Saturday,'' CBS, 4.1
67. ``Clerks,'' ABC, 4.1
67. ``Kids Say the Darndest Things,'' CBS, 4.1
70. ``Ally McBeal,'' Fox, 4.0
70. ``Cops: Albuquerque,'' Fox, 4.0
70. ``The Others,'' NBC, 4.0
73. (X) ``Third Rock From the Sun,'' NBC, 3.9
74. (X) ``Family Guy,'' Fox, 3.8
74. (X) ``Kids Say the Darndest Things,'' CBS, 3.8
74. ``King of the Hill,'' Fox, 3.8
74. ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch,'' ABC, 3.8
74. (X) ``The Simpsons,'' Fox, 3.8
79. (X) ``Chance of a Lifetime,'' Fox, 3.7
79. (X) ``Guinness World Records,'' Fox, 3.7
81. ``Boy Meets World,'' ABC, 3.6
81. ``Veronica's Closet,'' NBC, 3.6
83. ``PJs,'' Fox, 3.5
84. (X) ``Making the Band,'' ABC, 3.4
85. (X)``ABC Stanley Cup Final-Game 4: New Jersey at Dallas,'' ABC, 3.3
85. (X) ``King of the Hill,'' Fox, 3.3
85. ``Suddenly Susan,'' NBC, 3.3
88. (X) ``Chance of a Lifetime,'' Fox, 3.2
89. ``Futurama,'' Fox, 3.0
89. ``Star Trek: Voyager,'' UPN, 3.0
91. ``The Parkers,'' UPN, 2.9
92. ''7th Heaven,'' WB, 2.7
93. ``Moesha,'' UPN, 2.6
94. ``Grown Ups,'' UPN, 2.5
95. ``Charmed,'' WB, 2.2
96. ``Malcolm & Eddie,'' UPN, 2.1
97. ``The Steve Harvey Show 1,'' WB, 2.0
98. ``Angel,'' WB, 1.9
98. ``The Steve Harvey Show,'' WB, 1.9
100. ``The Jamie Foxx Show 1,'' WB, 1.8
101. ''7th Heaven Beginnings,'' WB, 1.7
101. ``Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,'' WB, 1.7
101. ``Popular,'' WB, 1.7
104. ``Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday,'' Pax, 1.6
104. ``For Your Love,'' WB, 1.6
106. ``Dawson's Creek,'' WB, 1.5
106. ``Diagnosis Murder-Monday,'' Pax, 1.5
106. ``Diagnosis Murder-Thursday,'' Pax, 1.5
106. ``Roswell,'' WB, 1.5
106. ``Secret Agent Man,'' UPN, 1.5
106. ``Touched by an Angel-Wednesday,'' Pax, 1.5
112. ``Shasta,'' UPN, 1.4
113. ''7 Days,'' UPN, 1.3
113. ``Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.3
113. ``Felicity,'' WB, 1.3
113. ``Movie Stars,'' WB, 1.3
113. ``The Strip,'' UPN, 1.3
118. ``Zoe,'' WB, 1.2
119. ``I Dare You!,'' UPN, 1.1
119. ``Touched by an Angel-Monday,'' Pax, 1.1
119. ``Touched by an Angel-Thursday,'' Pax, 1.1
119. ``Touched by an Angel-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.1
123. ``Diagnosis Murder-Friday,'' Pax, 1.0
123. ``Jack & Jill,'' WB, 1.0
123. ``Pax TV Sunday Mystery Movie: The Promise,'' Pax, 1.0
126. ``Touched by an Angel-Friday,'' Pax, 0.9
127. ``Dilbert,'' UPN, 0.8
127. ``It's a Miracle,'' Pax, 0.8
127. ``Twenty-One,'' Pax, 0.8
130. ``It's a Miracle-Friday,'' Pax, 0.7
130. ``Promised Land,'' Pax, 0.7
132. ``Chicken Soup for the Soul,'' Pax, 0.6
132. ``It's a Miracle-Encore,'' Pax, 0.6
132. ``Twice in a Lifetime,'' Pax, 0.6
135. ``Promised Land-Weekend,'' Pax, 0.5
136. (X) ``U.S. Olympic Trials-Women's Road Cycling,'' Pax, 0.3

#	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