Winter Olympics send NBC viewership soaring

GARY LEVIN, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Originally published Friday, February 22, 2002

It was NBC's week to crow, as the Winter Olympics from Salt Lake City captured the top seven spots in the weekly Nielsens.

Through 12 nights, ending Tuesday, the Winter Games are averaging 30.7 million viewers. The total is up 23 percent from the record-low 1998 Olympics in Nagano, up 3 percent from the 1992 games in Albertville, but down 28 percent from the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.

NBC averaged 28 million viewers in prime time last week, more than its three closest rivals combined. CBS was down 28 percent from the comparable week last February, to 9.3 million viewers. Fox is off 25 percent, to 7.7 million viewers. ABC -- already suffering this season -- was off a whopping 43 percent, to 7.2 million.

With 10.6 million viewers, Sunday's "The Practice" was the least watched original episode in four years, and Saturday's James Bond thriller, "Thunderball," was ABC's lowest yet.

CBS' repeat-filled schedule, led by "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "CSI," captured the best non-Olympics numbers, but both were down sharply from season averages.

The smaller networks fared better, with both UPN and WB improving over their averages from last February. UPN was up 18 percent, to 4.5 million viewers, with Monday comedies, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and other shows averaging similar ratings, compared with non-Olympics weeks. WB was up 3 percent, to 3.8 million, as shows such as "Smallville," "Gilmore Girls" and "7th Heaven" also maintained their audiences.

On basic cable, Nickelodeon's "Rocket Power" movie Saturday ranked third for the week, with 5 million viewers, behind only WWF wrestling on TNN. USA's coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show averaged 4.3 million viewers over two nights. And on pay cable, HBO's Janet Jackson concert from Hawaii Sunday also averaged 4.3 million viewers, well below "Sex and the City's" performance.

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