June 26 - July 2

Amid game and reality shows, Jesus Christ is a ratings-grabber

BY DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Amid the hype about ``Survivor'' and other reality shows, it was Jesus Christ who quietly proved a formidable presence in the television ratings last week.

Peter Jennings' news special, ``The Search for Jesus,'' was the third most-watched prime-time television program last week.

Only CBS' ``Survivor,'' which drew an audience of just under 24 million in its fifth week on the air, and a repeat episode of ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' drew larger audiences than ``The Search for Jesus.''

It drew more viewers than any other Jennings special in seven years and proved somewhat of a surprise to ABC, which postponed it for a week because the network was concerned the show would compete against the NBA Finals.

ABC also had to be heartened by the continued strength of ``Millionaire.'' Each edition of the game show placed in Nielsen Media Research's top 10 programs for the week, even though they were all repeats.

For the week, ABC won with an average of 10 million viewers in prime-time (6.9 rating, 13 share). CBS had 9.3 million viewers (6.5, 12), NBC had 8.1 million viewers (5.9, 11) and Fox had 5.8 million (3.9, 7). UPN had 3 million viewers (2.1, 4), the WB had 2.4 million viewers (1.8, 3) and Pax TV had 1.1 million (0.8, 2)

NBC's ``Nightly News'' won the evening news ratings race with 9.2 million viewers (7.0 rating, 16 share). ABC's ``World News Tonight'' had 7.9 million viewers (6.2, 14), while the ``CBS Evening News'' had 7.7 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 26 to July 2, the shows, their networks and ratings were:

(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. (6) ``Survivor,'' CBS, 15.3, 15.38 million homes.
2. (1) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Tuesday 9:30pm,'' ABC, 12.9, 12.99 million homes.
3. (X) ``Peter Jennings Reporting: The Search for Jesus,'' ABC, 11.4, 11.4 million homes
4. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Thursday 9:30pm,'' ABC, 11.3, 11.34 million homes.
5. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Sunday 9:30pm,'' ABC, 11.1, 11.14 million homes.
6. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Thursday 9pm,'' ABC, 9.6, 9.69 million homes.
7. (X) ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, 9.3, 9.38 million homes.
8. (X) ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Sunday 9pm,'' ABC, 9.2, 9.24 million homes.
9. (12) ``Law and Order,'' NBC, 9.1, 9.15 million homes.
10. (38) ''20/20-Downtown,'' ABC, 8.4, 8.46 million homes.
11. (12) ``The Practice, '' ABC, 8.3, 8.36 million homes.
12. (14) ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS, 8.2, 8.27 million homes.
13. (38) ``Dateline NBC-Tuesday,'' NBC, 8.1, 8.18 million homes.
13. (4) ``ER,'' NBC, 8.1, 8.17 million homes.
15. (26) ''60 Minutes II,'' CBS, 8.0, 8.05 million homes.
16. (23) ''48 Hours-Monday,'' CBS, 7.9, 7.92 million homes.
17. (20) ``Becker,'' CBS, 7.8, 7.89 million homes.
18. (10) ''60 Minutes,'' CBS, 7.7, 7.73 million homes.
19. (X) ``King Of Queens,'' CBS, 7.6, 7.64 million homes.
20. (7) ``Friends,'' NBC, 7.4, 7.44 million homes.
20. (22) ``Judging Amy,'' CBS, 7.4, 7.41 million homes.
-------------
22. ``Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,'' NBC, 7.3
23. ''20/20-Friday,'' ABC, 7.2
23. ``Dharma & Greg,'' ABC, 7.2
25. ``Frasier,'' NBC, 7.1
25. ``West Wing,'' NBC, 7.1
27. ''20/20-Wednesday,'' ABC, 7.0
28. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 6.8
29. (X) ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 6.6
30. ``Dateline NBC-Friday,'' NBC, 6.5
31. ``Dateline NBC-Monday,'' NBC, 6.4
31. ``JAG,'' CBS, 6.4
33. ``Law and Order-Monday,'' NBC, 6.3
33. (X) ``Vanished, Lost at Sea,'' ABC, 6.3
35. ``King of Queens,'' CBS, 6.2
35. ``Touched by an Angel,'' CBS, 6.2
37. ``Just Shoot Me,'' NBC, 6.1
38. ''3rd Rock From the Sun,'' NBC, 5.9
38. ``CBS Sunday Movie: Best Friends for Life,'' CBS, 5.9
38. ``Two Guys and a Girl-9:30p,'' ABC, 5.9
41. ``NBC Sunday Night Movie: Stargate,'' NBC, 5.8
41. ``Whose Line is it Anyway?-8:30pm,'' ABC, 5.8
41. ``Will & Grace,'' NBC, 5.8
44. ``Dateline NBC-Wednesday,'' NBC, 5.7
44. (X) ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 5.7
46. ``Third Watch,'' NBC, 5.6
47. ``The Drew Carey Show,'' ABC, 5.5
48. ``ABC Saturday Night Movie: Tidal Wave: No Escape,'' ABC, 5.4
49. ''48 Hours,'' CBS, 5.3
50. (X) ``Pepsi 400: Nascar Winston Cup,'' CBS, 5.2
51. (X) ``ABC Original: To Brave Alaska,'' ABC, 5.1
51. ``Spin City,'' ABC, 5.1
53. ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 5.0
54. ``M.Y.O.B.,'' NBC, 4.8
54. ``Providence,'' NBC, 4.8
56. ``Fox Thursday Night Movie: Kiss of Death,'' Fox, 4.7
56. ``Whose Line is it Anyway?,'' ABC, 4.7
58. ``World Wrestling Federation Smackdown!,'' UPN, 4.6
59. (X) ``CBS Special Movie-Friday: Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!,'' CBS, 4.5
59. (X) ``The Drew Carey Show,'' ABC, 4.5
59. ``NYPD Blue-Saturday,'' ABC, 4.5
59. ``The Simpsons,'' Fox, 4.5
63. (X) ``Family Guy,'' Fox, 4.3
63. ``Malcolm in the Middle,'' Fox, 4.3
63. (X) ``World's Most Incredible Animal Rescues Part 3,'' Fox, 4.3
66. ``Greed,'' Fox, 4.2
66. ``Making the Band,'' ABC, 4.2
68. ``Dateline NBC-Sunday,'' NBC, 4.1
68. (X) ``Whose Line is it Anyway?-Wednesday,'' ABC, 4.1
70. ``America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back,'' Fox, 4.0
70. ``Family Guy,'' Fox, 4.0
70. ``That '70s Show,'' Fox, 4.0
73. ``Profiler,'' NBC, 3.9
74. ``Beyond Belief: Fact/Ficton,'' Fox, 3.8
74. ``Cops 2: Indianapolis,'' Fox, 3.8
74. ``Titus,'' Fox, 3.8
77. ``NBC Saturday Night Movies: Ace Ventura,'' NBC, 3.7
77. (X) ``Shania Twain: Come on Over,'' CBS, 3.7
79. ``Making the Band-9pm,'' ABC, 3.6
79. ``Pjs,'' Fox, 3.6
79. ``Pjs 2,'' Fox, 3.6
79. ``Sabrina-Teenage Witch,'' ABC, 3.6
79. ``Veronica's Closet,'' NBC, 3.6
84. ``Ally McBeal,'' Fox, 3.5
84. ``Boy Meets World,'' ABC, 3.5
84. ``COPS: Albuquerque,'' Fox, 3.5
84. (X) ``Falcone,'' CBS, 3.5
84. ``Suddenly Susan,'' NBC, 3.5
89. ``King of the Hill,'' Fox, 3.2
89. ``X-Files,'' Fox, 3.2
91. (X) ``TVguide: The Truth Behind Sitcoms Part 3,'' Fox, 3.0
92. ``Futurama,'' Fox, 2.8
93. ''7th Heaven,'' WB, 2.5
94. ``The Steve Harvey Show,'' WB, 2.3
95. ``Charmed,'' WB, 2.2
96. ``Angel,'' WB, 2.1
96. ``The Parkers,'' UPN, 2.1
98. ``Star Trek: Voyager,'' UPN, 2.0
98. ``The Steve Harvey Show,'' WB, 2.0
100. ``Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,'' WB, 1.9
100. (X) ``Dawson's Creek-Wednesday 9pm,'' WB, 1.9
100. ``For Your Love,'' WB, 1.9
100. ``Grown Ups,'' UPN, 1.9
100. ``The Jamie Foxx Show- Sunday,'' WB, 1.9
100. (X) ``The Parkers-Monday,'' UPN, 1.9
106. ''7th Heaven Beginnings,'' WB, 1.8
106. ``Malcolm & Eddie,'' UPN, 1.8
108. ``The Jamie Foxx Show,'' WB, 1.7
109. ''7 Days,'' UPN, 1.6
109. ``Dawson's Creek-Wednesday 8pm,'' WB, 1.6
109. ``Popular,'' WB, 1.6
112. ``Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.5
112. ``For Your Love - Sunday,'' WB, 1.5
114. ``Diagnosis Murder-Thursday,'' Pax, 1.4
114. ``Roswell,'' WB, 1.4
114. ``The Steve Harvey Show- Sunday,'' WB, 1.4
114. ``Touched by an Angel-Tuesday,'' Pax, 1.4
118. ``Diagnosis Murder-Friday,'' Pax, 1.3
118. ``Diagnosis Murder-Monday,'' Pax, 1.3
118. ``Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday,'' Pax, 1.3
118. ``Secret Agent Man,'' UPN, 1.3
122. ``Mission Hill - Sunday,'' WB, 1.2
123. ``Touched by an Angel-Wednesday,'' Pax, 1.1
124. ``Shasta,'' UPN, 1.0
124. ``The Strip,'' UPN, 0.9
124. ``Touched by an Angel-Friday,'' Pax, 0.9
127. ``Dilbert,'' UPN, 0.9
127. ``I Dare You!,'' UPN, 0.9
129. ``Promised Land,'' Pax, 0.8
129. ``Touched by an Angel-Monday,'' Pax, 0.8
131. ``It's A Miracle-Friday,'' Pax, 0.7
131. ``Touched by an Angel-Thursday,'' Pax, 0.7
133. ``It's A Miracle,'' Pax, 0.6
133. ``Twenty-One,'' Pax, 0.6
133. ``Twice in a Lifetime,'' Pax, 0.6
136. ``Chicken Soup for the Soul,'' Pax, 0.5
136. ``It's a Miracle Encore,'' Pax, 0.5
136. ``Pax TV Sunday Mystery Movie: Touch of Hope,'' Pax, 0.5
139. ``Promised Land-Weekend,'' Pax, 0.3
139. (X) ``U.S. Olympic Trials-Men'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