'THE SINGING BEE,' 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' AND 'DATELINE' LEAD NBC'S WEEK OF JULY 23-29

'THE SINGING BEE,' 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' AND 'DATELINE' LEAD NBC'S WEEK OF JULY 23-29

'SINGING BEE,' 'TALENT' AND 'DATELINE' MAKE THE WEEK'S TOP 10 IN ADULTS 18-49

IN TOTAL VIEWERS, 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' IS THE #1 SHOW OF THE WEEK AND 'SINGING BEE' RANKS #2

BURBANK, Calif. � July 31, 2007 � Paced by more strong numbers for the original summer series "The Singing Bee" and "America's Got Talent," and a winning performance from "Dateline" on Wednesday, NBC averaged a 1.7 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 5.4 million viewers overall for the week of July 23-29, according to "live plus same day" in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

NBC had three of the top 10 programs of the week in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49. "The Singing Bee" ranked #2 (tied), "America's Got Talent" ranked #7 (tied) and the Wednesday edition of "Dateline" was #9 (tied).

In overall total viewers, NBC had the top two programs of the week, with "America's Got Talent" ranking #1 and "The Singing Bee" ranking #2.

Primetime averages for the week of July 23-29 in adults 18-49 were Fox (2.3/8), CBS (1.8/6), NBC (1.7/6), ABC (1.6/5), Univision (1.3/4), CW (0.7/2) and Telemundo (0.4/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (6.3 million), Fox (5.8 million), NBC (5.4 million), ABC (5.0 million), Univision (3.0 million), CW (1.9 million) and Telemundo (1.0 million).

In regular program averages through 45 weeks of the 2006-07 broadcast year, NBC is running within a tenth of a point of last year's average in adult 18-49 rating (2.9 vs. 3.0). Fox is also down a tenth of a point versus last year in regular program averages (3.8 vs. 3.9), ABC is down 6 percent (from a 3.4 at this point last year to a 3.2) and CBS is down 9 percent (from a 3.5 to a 3.2).

NBC highlights for the week of July 23-29:

* On Monday, "Age of Love" attracted its highest ratings in four weeks, up 22 percent in 18-49 versus the prior week.

* On Tuesday, "The Singing Bee" was the #1 show of the night in 18-49, sweeping its time period in every key ratings category. "The Singing Bee" built by 10 percent on the 18-49 rating of its lead-in "America's Got Talent."

* Also on Tuesday, "America's Got Talent" convincingly won its time period in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, with a 26 percent increase over NBC's 18-49 rating in the slot on the same night last year.

* NBC won Tuesday night in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures, marking the eighth Tuesday in a row that NBC was #1 or tied for #1.

* On Wednesday, Dateline NBC" swept its time period in all key adult demographics, winning its hour in adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and adults 25-54, while "Last Comic Standing" ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and #1 in all key adult male demographics.

* On Sunday, an encore "Law & Order: SVU" won its time period in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures.

Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Additional NBC highlights for the week of July 23-29:

On Monday, July 23 from 9-10 p.m. ET, "Age of Love" (2.2 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall) hit its highest 18-49 rating in four weeks, up 22 percent in 18-49 rating and 19 percent in total viewers versus the prior week. From its first to its second half-hour, "Age" increased by 10 percent in 18-49 (to a 2.3 from a 2.1) and by 9 percent in total viewers (to 5.6 million from 5.1 million). "Age of Love" built by 57 percent in 18-49 rating and 47 percent in total viewers versus its lead-in from the previous hour � a 1.4/5 in 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers overall for an encore telecast of "Age of Love" from 8-9 p.m.

At 10 p.m. ET Monday, an encore "Dateline NBC" (2.3/7 in 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall) finished within a tenth of a rating point of the time period lead in adults 18-49, "Dateline" ranked #2 in adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures. Versus NBC's 18-49 rating in the time period on the same night last year, "Dateline" was up 44 percent (2.3 vs. 1.6).

On Tuesday, July 24 from 8-9:30 p.m. ET, "America's Got Talent" (2.9/10 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall) convincingly won the time period in 18-49, total viewers and other key ratings categories in a time slot that included competition from CBS' "Big Brother," ABC's "Shaq's Big Challenge" and "Just For Laughs" and Fox's "On the Lot" and "House" encore. Versus NBC's results in this time period on the same night last year, also with original unscripted programming, "America's Got Talent" was up this week in 18-49 by 26 percent (2.9/10 vs. 2.3/7).

Tuesday from 9:30-10:01 p.m. ET, "The Singing Bee" (3.2/9 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall) was the #1 program of the night on any network in adults 18-49. "Singing Bee" swept its time period, ranking #1 in adults, men and women 18-49, 18-34, 25-54, as well as in teens 12-17 and total viewers.

From 10:01-11 p.m. ET Tuesday, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.0/6 in 18-49, 6.9 million viewers overall) tied for #1 in adults 18-49 and ranked #1 outright in adults 18-34, total viewers and other key measures.

NBC won Tuesday night in adults 18-49 and all key demographic measures as well as in total viewers. NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 for the last eight Tuesday nights in a row.

On Wednesday July 25 at 9 p.m. ET, "Last Comic Standing" (2.5/8 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and #1 in all key adult male demographics (men 18-34, 18-49, 25-54). "Last Comic" built by 39 percent on its 18-49 lead-in - a 1.8/6 in 18-49 and 5.3 million viewers overall for an encore telecast of "Most Outrageous Moments" from 8-9 p.m.

Wednesday from 10-11 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (2.8/8 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and adults 25-54. "Dateline" built on its lead-in from the previous hour by 12 percent in 18-49 rating and by 9 percent in total viewers. From its first to its second half-hour, "Dateline" grew by 7 percent in 18-49 rating and by 5 percent in total viewers to average a 2.9/9 in 18-49 and 7.0 million viewers overall from 10:30-11 p.m.

At 8 p.m. ET Thursday July 26, an encore telecast of "My Name is Earl" delivered a 1.4/5 in 18-49 and 4.2 million viewers overall. At 8:30 p.m. ET, a rebroadcast of "30 Rock" (1.4/5 in 18-49, 3.4 million viewers overall) retained 100 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "My Name is Earl" for the second consecutive week, marking "30 Rock's" strongest retention in this Thursday 8:30 p.m. time period to date.

From 9-9:31 p.m. ET Thursday, a rebroadcast of "The Office" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 29 percent. "The Office" ranked #2 in the time period among adults 18-34 and #1 among men 18-34. From 9:31-10:01 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Scrubs" averaged a 1.7/5 in 18-49 and 3.4 million viewers overall. From 10:01-11 p.m., an encore "ER" averaged a 1.1/4 in 18-49 and 3.0 million viewers overall.

On Friday, July 27 from 8-9 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "1 vs 100" averaged a 1.2/5 in 18-49 and 4.5 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Las Vegas" delivered a 1.1/4 in 18-49 and 3.9 million viewers overall.

Friday at 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (1.3/5 in 18-49, 4.9 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 30 percent in 18-49 rating and by 28 percent in total viewers, to rank #2 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

On Saturday, July 28 from 8-8:30 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of Tuesday's episode of "The Singing Bee" delivered a 1.0/5 in 18-49 and 3.0 million viewers overall. "Bee" ranked #2 in 18-49 (tied). From 8:30-10 p.m., a rebroadcast of Tuesday's 90-minute "America's Got Talent" averaged a 1.1/5 in 18-49 and 3.3 million viewers overall, up 10 percent in 18-49 rating versus the prior Saturday's "Talent" rebroadcast in this time period. At 10 p.m., an encore telecast of "Medium" averaged a 0.9/4 in 18-49 and 3.1 million viewers overall.

On Sunday, July 29 from 7-9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.4/5 in 18-49 and 5.6 million viewers overall. From its first half-hour to its fourth, "Dateline" grew by 33 percent in 18-49 (to a 1.6/5 from a 1.2/5) and by 65 percent, or more than 2.9 million persons, in total viewers (to 7.3 million from.4.4 million).

Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" (1.6/5 in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and other key demos and #1 in total viewers. At 10 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Law & Order: SVU" (1.9/5 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54, total viewers and other key measures.