NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 6-12

BURBANK, Calif. -- February 14, 2006 -- NBC won the week of February 6-12, 2006, with a 5.1 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 and 15.6 million viewers for the week, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Feb. 6-12 in adults 18-49 were NBC (5.1/13), Fox (4.6/11), ABC (4.4/11), CBS (4.0/10), Univision (1.8/5), WB (1.5/4), UPN (1.1/3) and Telemundo (0.5/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were NBC (15.6 million), CBS (12.6 million), ABC (11.9 million), Fox (11.0 million), Univision (4.3 million), WB (3.4 million), UPN (3.0 million) and Telemundo (1.1 million).

NBC highlights for the week of Feb. 6-12:

* This was NBC's highest-scoring week in adults 18-49 and total viewers since the week of Aug. 23-30, 2004 (the 2004 Athens Summer Games). This was NBC's top in-season week in adults 18-49 since the week of May 3-9, 2004 ("Friends" finale) and in total viewers since the week of Feb. 18-24, 2002 (the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games).

* An estimated 112 million people watched at least a portion of the first weekend of the Torino Winter Olympics on the networks of NBC Universal.

* On Friday, NBC's coverage of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony attracted 50 million total viewers, who watched all or part of the telecast. The Opening Ceremony coverage delivered the highest Friday primetime rating for any network since NBC's telecast of the last Olympics, the Athens Games in August 2004.

* On Saturday, 47 million total viewers watched all or part of NBC's telecast of the first night of competition of the 2006 Winter Games. In household rating, it's the highest-rated Saturday on NBC since the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

* On Sunday, an estimated 60 million viewers watched some or all of NBC's primetime Olympics coverage from Torino, Italy. In households, it's the highest-rated telecast on NBC since the last Olympics in 2004.

* On Tuesday, "Law & Order: SVU" dominated its time period, topping its nearest competitor in adults 18-49 (ABC's "Boston Legal") by 59 percent and beating the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults 18-34.

* Also on Tuesday, an original "Scrubs" at 9:30 p.m. ET hit that series' highest 18-49 rating since Jan. 3, ranking #2 in adults, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34, trailing only Fox's "House" in those key demos.

* On Wednesday, "Law & Order" locked up its highest 18-49 rating and largest total viewership since Sept. 28, 2005.

* On Thursday, "My Name is Earl" scored a 17 percent gain in adults 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Earl" average in the time period. Through 20 weeks, "My Name is Earl" is the #1 half-hour comedy and #1 new series of the 2005-06 season in the key demographic of adults 18-49.

* Also on Thursday, "The Office" retained 92 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Earl" to rank #2 in 18-49 and all other key adult and male demographics. In adults 18-34, "The Office" built on its lead-in from "Earl" for a third week in a row.

* On Monday, "Medium" hit its highest 18-49 rating since Nov. 21 and the season finale of "Surface" delivered that series' top results in 18-49 and total viewers since Nov. 28.

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.

Non-sports averages for the 2005-06 television season among adults 18-49 are: CBS (a 3.8 rating), ABC (3.7), NBC (3.1), Fox (3.1), WB (1.4), UPN (1.3).

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Feb. 6-12:

On Monday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. ET, the season finale of "Surface" (2.9 rating, 7 share in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall) scored that series' highest 18-49 and total viewer results since Nov. 28. At 9 p.m., "Las Vegas" (4.0/9 in 18-49, 11.8 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 38 percent in 18-49. At 10 p.m., "Medium" (4.6/11 in 18-49, 12.0 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 15 percent in 18-49 and delivered its highest demo rating since Nov. 21.

On Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. ET, "Scrubs" (3.1/7 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) moved 15 percent above its most recent telecast in the time period (3.1 vs. 2.7 on Jan. 24), scoring its highest rating in the slot since Jan. 10. "Scrubs" built on NBC's lead-in from the preceding half-hour by 82 percent (3.1 in 18-49 vs. 1.7) and ranked #2 in adults, men and women 18-34.

At 9:30 p.m., a second "Scrubs" (3.7/9 in 18-49, 7.1 million viewers overall) surged by 23 percent in 18-49 versus the previous half-hour, to hit its highest 18-49 rating since Jan. 3. "Scrubs" ranked #2 in adults, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34, trailing only "House" in these key demos.

Tuesday at 10 p.m., "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.4/14 in 18-49, 15.2 million viewers overall) dominated the time period by all key measures. "SVU" topped the nearest competition in 18-49 by a 59 percent margin (5.4 vs. 3.4 for ABC's "Boston Legal") and beat the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults 18-34.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 8-10 p.m. ET, "The Biggest Loser: Special Edition" averaged a 2.3/5 in 18-49 and 6.0 million viewers overall. From its first hour to its second, "Biggest Loser" grew by 71 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 2.9/7 from a 1.7/4).

Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order" (4.3/11 in 18-49, 14.5 million viewers overall) captured its highest 18-49 rating and largest total viewership since Sept. 28. "Law & Order," which was #2 in the time period in 18-49, total viewers and most key measures, increased by 15 percent from its first to its second half-hour (to a 4.6/12 from a 4.0/10), while the competition on ABC and CBS declined.

On Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" averaged a 3.1/8 in 18-49 and 7.5 million viewers overall. At 8:30 p.m., "Four Kings" (2.9/7 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall) retained 94 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Will & Grace."

Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (4.9/11 in 18-49, 10.2 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 69 percent to lift NBC 17 percent above the network's season average for the time period prior to "Earl" (4.9 vs. 4.2).

At 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday, "The Office" (4.5/10 in 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) retained 92 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "My Name is Earl." In its six weeks on NBC's Thursday schedule, "The Office" has delivered its six strongest retentions to date of its 18-49 lead-in from "Earl" (averaging a 90 percent retention versus 71 percent following "Earl" earlier this season on Tuesday nights). Among adults 18-34, "Office" built on its "Earl" lead-in by 2 percent, marking the third straight week "Office" has improved on its "Earl" lead-in in this valuable demographic.

"The Office" finished #2 in the competitive time period in 18-49 and all other key adult and male demographics

That night at 10 p.m. ET, "ER" (6.1/16 in 18-49, 14.2 million viewers overall) cut CBS' 18-49 lead for the hour down to 3 percent, despite a lead-in advantage for CBS of 122 percent in the preceding half-hour (10.0 vs. 4.5 from 9:30-10 p.m.). "ER" also trimmed CBS' advantage in total viewers by more than 14.5 million versus the previous half-hour. "ER" won the hour in adults, men and women 18-34.

On Friday, Feb. 10, NBC's coverage of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Torino, Italy attracted some 50 million total viewers who watched all or some of the network's telecast. It delivered a 13.1/21 household rating/share from 8-11 p.m. ET, the highest Friday primetime rating for any network since NBC's coverage of the last Olympics, the Athens Games (14.1/26 on Aug. 20, 2004). The 8-11 p.m. primetime coverage averaged a 6.6/19 in adults 18-49.

The average primetime viewership for Friday's Opening Ceremony was 22.8 million, more than double that of CBS (11.1 million) and ABC (8.8 million) and almost seven times that of Fox (3.3 million). It was the highest average viewership for any network on a Friday night since the Athens Games averaged 23 million viewers on Aug. 20, 2004 and it nearly tripled NBC's average Friday delivery (7.7 million).

For its full duration from 8-11:26 p.m. ET, Friday's coverage of the Opening Ceremony averaged a 12.8/21 household rating/share, a 6.5/19 in 18-49 and 22.2 million viewers overall.

On Saturday, Feb. 11, a total of 47 million viewers watched all of some of NBC's coverage of the first night of competition of the 2006 Winter Games. It delivered a 13.5 household rating and 23 share from 8:30-11:20 p.m., making it the highest-rated Saturday night on NBC since the Salt Lake City Games (a 15.5 on Feb. 23, 2002).

This marks the highest-rated first Saturday night for any non-domestic Olympics, Winter or Summer, since the Lillehammer Games in 1994 (20.9 household rating), surpassing Athens in 2004 (11.8) and Sydney in 2000 (13.1). Saturday's telecast was up 10 percent from the first night of competition in Nagano in 1998, the last non-domestic Winter Games (12.3/22 on CBS).

NBC's coverage of the 2006 Winter Games on Saturday averaged a 6.7/19 in adults 18-49 and 23.2 million viewers overall from 8:30-11:20 p.m. This easily doubled the closest competitor in 18-49, Fox (2.8/8) and tripled the nearest rival in total viewers, ABC (7.1 million).

On Sunday, Feb. 12, an estimated 60 million viewers watched some or all of NBC's coverage of the 2006 Winter Games (7.5/17 in 18-49, 23.2 million total viewers and 13.3/20 household rating/share from 7:30-11:16 p.m. ET). In household rating, NBC outscored ABC's Sunday lineup by 18 percent (11.3), while rating 122 percent higher than CBS (6.0) and 291 percent higher than Fox (3.4) in primetime. NBC also led primetime in total viewers, with more than a four million viewer advantage over second place ABC (23.2 million vs. 18.8 million).

NBC's 13.3 household rating on Sunday night topped the network's Sunday average for the season by 125 percent (13.3 v. 5.9). The night's 18-49 rating nearly tripled the network's 2.6 Sunday average for the season. It was also NBC's highest 18-49 average for any night of the week since the Athens Summer Games in August 2004.