Published: October 18, 2002
preview / download THE PEACOCK BEATS ITS YEAR-AGO 18-49 RATING AND WINS THURSDAY IN THAT CATEGORY BY A COMMANDING 24 PERCENT
WILL & GRACE SOARS 20 PERCENT ABOVE YEAR-AGO RESULTS
ER WINS AT 10 P.M. BY A HUGE 146 PERCENT MARGIN AND BY 184 PERCENT AT 10:30
FRIENDS BEATS ITS COMBINED MAJOR-NETWORK COMPETITION IN 18-49
SCRUBS AND GOOD MORNING, MIAMI RETAIN SOLID PERCENTAGES OF THEIR 18-49 LEAD-INS; SCRUBS TOPS YEAR-AGO SLOT RESULTS BY 24 PERCENT
BURBANK, Calif. — October 18, 2002 — NBC has once again dominated the most hotly contested evening on television among adults 18-49, defeating second-place CBS by a commanding 24 percent margin. NBCs formidable Thursday lineup also improved by 6 percent on its 18-49 rating for the same night last year.
According to updated in-home viewing statistics from Nielsen Media Research, Friends (12.7 rating, 33 share among adults 18-49, 25.8 million viewers overall) improved on its 18-49 rating of the same night last year by 0.5 of a point and led its half-hour in virtually all key categories. Friends beat its combined major-network competition among adults, men and women 18-34; adults and women 18-49; and women 25-54. Its winning margin over CBS second-place Survivor Thailand was 59 percent among adults 18-49 and 5.3 million viewers overall.
At 8:32 p.m. ET, Scrubs (8.7/22 among adults 18-49, 17.8 million viewers overall) retained a strong 69 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from Friends. On the same night last year, NBC settled for a 57 percent retention in the half-hour with Inside Schwartz. Scrubs was a solid second in the time period last night among adults 18-49 and No. 1 among women 18-34. In the adult 18-49 category, Scrubs beat NBCs year-ago result in the time period by 24 percent.
From 9-9:30 p.m. ET, Will & Grace (10.1/25 among adults 18-49, 19.5 million viewers overall) soared 20 percent above its 18-49 rating for the same night last year. Will & Grace was a close second in the half-hour among adults 18-49 and No. 1 ahead of CBS CSI: Crime Scene Investigation among adults 18-34, women 18-34 and women 18-49.
At 9:30 p.m. ET, Good Morning, Miami (7.8/19 among adults 18-49, 15.5 million viewers) retained a solid 77 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from Will & Grace. Good Morning, Miami is the seasons No. 1 new series among adults 18-49 and No. 1 new comedy among both adults 18-49 and total viewers.
From 9:59-11 p.m., ER (12.3/32 among adults 18-49, 25.7 million viewers overall) demolished its time-period rivals, beating the combined competition in virtually all key categories. ER defeated CBS second-place Without a Trace by a 146 percent margin among adults 18-49 (12.3/32 vs. 5.0/13) and saw that advantage increase from 116 percent during the shows first half-hour to 184 percent in their second half-hour. In overall total viewers, ER defeated Without a Trace by 10.8 million persons. ER also solidly outscored the previous hours CSI among adults 18-49 (12.3/32 vs. 11.6/28) to finish as the nights No. 1 drama in that key category.
Updated 18-49 results for Thursday night are: NBC, 10.7/27; CBS, 8.6/22; UPN, 2.1/5; Fox, 1.9/5; ABC, 1.9/5; WB, 0.9/2. In overall total viewers, Oct. 17 updated averages are: CBS, 22.8 million viewers; NBC, 21.8 million; ABC, 5.8 million; UPN, 5.3 million; Fox, 4.2 million; WB, 2.1 million. NBC led the night among adults, men and women 18-34; adults, men and women 18-49; adults and women 25-54, and households.
In local-market late-night results, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (5.3 rating, 14 share in metered-market households) won decisively over CBS Late Show With David Letterman (4.2/11 in metered-market households). Late Night With Conan OBrien (2.6/10 in metered-market households) also won convincingly over CBS Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn (1.9/7 in metered-market households). Tonight and Late Night are each a perfect 19 for 19 in the local markets so far this season versus Late Show and Late Late Show respectively.
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