NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 23-29

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 23-29

BURBANK, Calif. - Jan. 31, 2006 - NBC averaged a 2.8 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 8.1 million viewers for the week of Jan. 23-29, 2006, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Jan. 16-22 in adults 18-49 were Fox (5.6/14), CBS (3.9/10), ABC (3.7/10), NBC (2.8/7), Univision (1.8/5), WB (1.4/3) and UPN (1.0/3). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (13.3 million), Fox (13.0 million), ABC (10.8 million), NBC (8.1 million), Univision (4.1 million), WB (3.3 million) and UPN (2.6 million). Such key NBC series as "ER" and all three "Law & Order" dramas were in rebroadcast this week.

NBC highlights for the week of Jan. 23-29:

* On Wednesday, "The Biggest Loser: Special Edition" was up 54 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Loser" season average for the time period, scoring NBC's second-highest rating of the season in this time period, in head-to-head competition with "American Idol."

* Also on Wednesday, the special "Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable" ranked #2 in 18-49 for the 8-9 p.m. ET hour (trailing only "American Idol") with NBC's strongest rating in this time period against a full-hour "Idol" since January 2004.

* On Thursday, "My Name is Earl" scored a 19 percent gain in adults 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Earl" average in the time period. Through 19 weeks, "My Name is Earl" is the #1 half-hour comedy and #1 new scripted series of the 2005-06 season in the key demographic of adults 18-49.

* Also on Thursday, "The Office" retained a best-ever 92 percent of its lead-in from "My Name is Earl," ranking #2 in 18-49 in its highly competitive time period. In its first four weeks on NBC's Thursday schedule, "The Office" has delivered its four best retentions to date of its lead-in from "Earl."

* "Four Kings" on Thursday built on its 18-49 lead-in from "Will & Grace" for a fourth consecutive week.

Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of live only results through Dec. 25 and "live plus seven day" data since then, except for the two most recent weeks, which are live plus same day.

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Jan. 23-29:

On Monday, Jan. 23 at 10 p.m. ET, "Medium" (4.2 rating, 10 share in adults 18-49, 11.4 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49, having built on its lead-in by 14 percent. At 9 p.m. ET, "Las Vegas" (3.7/8 in 18-49, 10.9 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 61 percent. At 8 p.m. ET, "Surface" averaged a 2.3/6 in 18-49 and 7.8 million viewers overall.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. ET, "Scrubs" (2.7/6 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 rating from the previous half-hour by 59 percent (2.7 vs. 1.7) and at 9:30 p.m. ET, a second original episode of "Scrubs" (3.1/7 in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall) increased by 15 percent in 18-49 versus the previous half-hour. Both episodes of "Scrubs" ranked #2 in their respective slots in adults, men and women 18-34, trailing only "American Idol." At 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.6/9 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall) finished #2, within 0.1 of an 18-49 rating point of first place against first-run competition on ABC and CBS. "SVU" beat that first-run competition among adults, men and women 18-34.

On Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. ET, the special "Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable" (2.7/7 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49, trailing only "American Idol." The special delivered NBC's best rating in this time slot against a full hour of "Idol" since Jan. 21, 2004 ("The Apprentice") and was up 69 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's performance against "Idol" on the same night last year (2.7 vs. 1.6 for "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search").

Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, "The Biggest Loser: Special Edition" (3.7/8 in 18-49, 8.2 million viewers overall) was up 54 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Loser" season average for this time period, generating the network's second-highest rating in the slot this season. "Loser" built on its lead-in by 37 percent in 18-49, delivering its best rating to-date for a Wednesday telecast.

That night at 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" (3.6/9 in 18-49, 10.9 million viewers overall) was up 20 percent in 18-49 versus its season-to-date average for rebroadcasts. "L&O" won the hour among women 18-34 versus first-run competition from "CSI: NY" and "Invasion."

On Thursday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" averaged a 3.0/8 in 18-49 and 6.9 million viewers overall and at 8:30 p.m., "Four Kings" (3.1/8 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall) built on that 18-49 lead-in by 3 percent. "Four Kings" has generated increases on its 18-49 lead-in with each of its four telecasts to date.

Thursday, at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (5.0/12 in 18-49, 10.4 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 61 percent to lift NBC 19 percent above its season average in the time period prior to "Earl" (5.0 vs. 4.2). "Earl" won its highly competitive time period among men 18-34.

At 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday, "The Office" (4.6/11 in 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall) retained a best-ever 92 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "My Name is Earl." In its first four weeks on NBC's Thursday schedule, "The Office" has delivered its four strongest retentions to date of its 18-49 lead-in from "Earl" (averaging an 87 percent retention versus 71 percent earlier this season on Tuesday nights). "The Office" finished #2 in the competitive time period in 18-49, topping ABC's rival comedy "Crumbs" (3.1/7) by a 48 percent margin and Fox's "The O.C." (3.0/7 that half-hour) by 53 percent. "The Office" won its time period among men 18-34.

On Friday, Jan. 27 at 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" (2.5/7 in 18-49, 7.9 million viewers overall) was #2 in 18-49 and most other key ratings measures and tied for #1 among women 18-34. "Law & Order" built on its lead-in by 25 percent in 18-49 to deliver NBC's second-highest demo rating in the slot since Nov. 25.

On Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.3/7 in 18-49, 8.5 million viewers overall) was #1 in adults 18-49.

On Sunday, Jan. 29 from 7-9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (2.3/6 in 18-49, 9.0 million viewers overall) improved on NBC's season average for the time period by 15 percent in 18-49 (2.3 vs. 2.0).

Also on Sunday, an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" delivered a 3.3/7 in 18-49 and 10.8 million viewers overall, posting that series' second-highest 18-49 rating for an original or encore telecast since Dec. 4. "Criminal Intent" built by 23 percent in 18-49 rating and by more than two million viewers from its first to its second half-hour. At 10 p.m. ET, "Crossing Jordan" (3.4/8 in 18-49, 11.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in the time period in adults 18-49 and virtually all key demographic measures.