NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 5-11

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 5-11

BURBANK, Calif. - Dec. 13, 2005 - NBC averaged a 3.1 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 9.4 million viewers for the week of Dec. 5-11, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Dec. 5-11 in adults 18-49 were CBS (4.4/12), ABC (3.4/9), NBC (3.1/8), Fox (2.6/7), UPN (1.5/4`) and WB (1.2/3). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (14.0 million), ABC (9.6 million), NBC (9.4 million), Fox (5.7 million), UPN (3.6 million) and WB (3.1 million).

NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 5-11:

* On Tuesday, "My Name is Earl" was a decisive #1 with its top 18-49 rating since Oct. 4 and its highest total viewership since its series premiere on Sept. 20. "Earl" delivered the highest 18-49 rating for any half-hour comedy on any network in nine weeks and is currently television's #1 half-hour comedy, #1 Tuesday series and #1 new series this season in adults 18-49.

* Also on Tuesday, "The Office" recruited its highest total viewership ever for a regular-slot telecast and tied its highest regular time period 18-49 rating ever. "The Office" was #1 in adults, men and women 18-34 and all key adult male demographics and finished one-tenth of a rating point out of first place in adults 18-49.

* NBC won Tuesday night in adults 18-49 for the 10th time in 12 weeks so far this season, paced by" My Name is Earl" and "Law & Order: SVU," which were tied as the highest-rated shows on television Tuesday in adults 18-49 and as the #7-ranked shows of the week (out of a total 114 programs).

* On Wednesday, "Law & Order" ranked #1 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures versus CBS' "CSI: NY" encore and an original telecast of ABC's "Alias."

* On Thursday, "Will & Grace" matched its highest 18-49 rating since its live season premiere on Sept. 29. Also on Thursday, "ER" ranked #6 among all 114 network programs this week in adults 18-49.

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 5-11:

On Monday, Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. ET, "Las Vegas" averaged a 4.2 rating, 10 share in adults 18-49 and 12.6 million viewers overall, collecting a time-period win in women 18-34. At 10 p.m. ET, a rebroadcast "Medium" (3.2/8 in 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) was the top-rated regular time period "Medium" encore to-date in adults 18-49, up 23 percent in the demographic versus NBC's performance on the same night last year.

On Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (5.8/14 in 18-49, 14.0 million viewers overall) was a decisive #1, hitting its highest 18-49 rating since Oct. 4 and its highest total viewership since its premiere on Sept. 20. "Earl" won its slot in every key ratings category, posting a 49 percent margin of victory in 18-49 (5.8 vs. 3.9 for "Amazing Race" in that half-hour). "My Name is Earl" delivered the highest 18-49 rating for any half-hour comedy on any network since Oct. 4 and is the season's #1 half-hour comedy, #1 Tuesday series and #1 new series in 18-49.

Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET, "The Office" (4.3/10 in 18-49, 9.7 million viewers overall) tied its highest regular-slot rating ever in 18-49 and delivered its largest total viewership ever for a regular time period telecast. "The Office" finished within one-tenth of a rating point of the 18-49 lead and was #1 in adults, men and women 18-34 and in all key adult male demographics.

Also on Tuesday, at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.8/15 in 18-49, 16.3 million viewers overall) dominated its time period in all key ratings categories. It was the night's top-rated telecast (tied with "My Name is Earl") in adults 18-49 and also Tuesday night's "most-watched" program with 16.3 million viewers overall. "SVU" ranked #6 of 114 shows this week in total viewers.

On Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order" (3.8/10 in 18-49, 12.1 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 52 percent in 18-49 to rank #1 for the hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures versus CBS' "CSI: NY" encore and an original special "Alias" on ABC. At 8 p.m. ET, "E-Ring" (2.5/7 in 18-49, 9.4 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in total viewers. At 9 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" (2.5/6 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall) delivered its highest 18-49 and total viewer results since Nov. 2.

On Thursday, Dec. 8., at 8 p.m. ET, "Joey" (3.2/9 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall from 8-8:30 p.m. ET) matched its highest regular slot 18-49 rating since March 24, finishing a decisive #2 in its competitive time period. At 8:30 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" (3.8/10 in 18-49, 8.8 million viewers overall) matched its highest 18-49 rating since its live season premiere on Sept. 29. "Will & Grace" built on its 18-49 lead-in by 19 percent to keep NBC solidly #2 in the time period, more than a full 18-49 rating point ahead of the third-place competitor (3.8 vs. a 2.7 in that half-hour for Fox's "The O.C.").

Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice" (5.0/12 in 18-49, 11.3 million viewers overall) matched its second-highest 18-49 rating of the season, while recruiting its second-highest total viewership. "The Apprentice" ranked #2 for the hour, outperforming the #3 program by a 178 percent margin (5.0 vs. 1.8 for ABC's "Head of State").

And at 10 p.m. ET, "ER" (6.5/16 in 18-49, 15.3 million viewers overall) ranked #6 out of 114 network programs this week in adults 18-49. "ER" whittled the lead of CBS' "Without a Trace" down to 8 percent in 18-49, though "Trace" benefited from a 112 percent lead-in advantage from "CSI." Among adults 18-34, "ER" won the hour (5.5 vs. 5.1 for "Trace"), overcoming an 88 percent lead-in advantage for "Trace."

On Saturday, Dec. 10, from 8-11 p.m. ET, NBC's 18th primetime telecast of the 1946 classic film "It's a Wonderful Life," directed by Frank Capra and starring Jimmy Stewart, averaged a 1.9/6 in 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall.

On Sunday, Dec. 11 at 10 p.m. ET, "Crossing Jordan" delivered a 3.3/7 in 18-49 and 11.4 million viewers overall. "Jordan" increased by 18 percent in adults 18-49 versus its lead-in.