NBC Claims November Sweeps Crown

By Joe Flint

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - With the November sweeps approaching the finish line, NBC is declaring victory in all the key battlegrounds, but the races for second place in several categories won't be determined until next week.

While NBC has reason to cheer its eighth consecutive sweeps win, the "Big Three" networks -- NBC, ABC and CBS -- once again are losing ground to basic cable.

Nielsen has ABC, CBS and NBC averaging a 31.6 rating and 50 share in households the November 1996 sweeps through this Monday, off from a 33.2 rating and 53 share for the comparable period in the November 1995 sweeps. Basic cable, meanwhile, jumped to a 17.9 rating and 29 share this time around from a 16.3 rating and 26 share in the November 1995 sweeps.

The sweeps officially end Wednesday night. Through Nov. 25, NBC has averaged an 11.4 rating and 19 share in households. While that is good enough for first place, the network is off 4% from its household performance in the 1995 November sweeps.

CBS right now is in second place with a 10.2/17, up 2% from a year ago, while ABC is at a 10.0/16, off 12%. Fox has averaged a 7.8/12, up 3% in the November sweeps compared with one year ago.

ABC and CBS are still battling for second place in households. Fox is also battling ABC in adults 18-49 in common time.

Driving NBC was its Thursday night lineup along with the miniseries Pandora's Clock and improved Tuesday and Saturday nights. Overall, NBC had the top 5 shows in the sweeps (ER, Seinfeld, Suddenly Susan, Friends and Single Guy).

Among the fledgling networks, UPN has a 3.6/6 in households, up 13% from the November 1995 sweeps. Rival WB is up 17% in households with a 2.8/4.

In the adults 18-49 arena, which advertisers look at most closely, NBC has averaged a 7.3 rating, which is off 4% from the November sweeps of one year ago.

With a 5.8 rating, ABC is down a walloping 17% in adults 18-49 while Fox is up 4% in that demographic with a 5.7 rating. CBS currently has a 4.6 in adults 18-49, off 2% from last November.

In adults 25-54, NBC won with an 8.4 rating, which is flat compared with last November. ABC currently has a 6.3 rating in adults 25-54, which is down 17% from last year. Fox, with a 5.6 rating, is up 6% in the demo, in part due to its baseball coverage. CBS has a 5.5 rating in the 25-54 arena, off 4%.

ABC is probably most concerned among the networks in terms of sweeps performance. The Disney-owned network, as noted, is off by double-digits in households, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

Preston Beckman, vice president of program planning and scheduling for NBC, said that in the battle against cable it is not network erosion, but rather "a network's erosion." ABC, he said, is in a "free fall."

NBC entertainment executive Warren Littlefield said he felt ABC's pain. "We know what it is like," Littlefield said, adding that his network had been there. "We're not saying the network is collapsing; one network is working out its problems."

ABC Entertainment chairman Ted Harbert said the network would finish second in adults 18-49 and was also pleased that its broadcast premiere of The Lion King was the highest rated special of the sweeps.

CBS, meanwhile, noted that it has improved its numbers on four nights, compared with a year ago, and for the November sweeps is projecting a 3% increase in households.

Fox, which struggled early in the season and canceled three of its four new shows, can claim increases in households as well as adults 18-49 and 25-54.

Reuters/Variety