'MEDIUM,' 'BIGGEST LOSER,' 'DEAL,' 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' AND 'LAW & ORDER' PACE NBC'S WEEK OF MARCH 17-23

'MEDIUM,' 'BIGGEST LOSER,' 'DEAL,' 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' AND 'LAW & ORDER' PACE NBC'S WEEK OF MARCH 17-23

'MEDIUM' SUMMONS ITS HIGHEST VIEWERSHIP SINCE MAY 2006 AND RANKS #1 IN ITS SLOT IN ADULTS 18-49 (TIED), ADULTS 25-54 AND TOTAL VIEWERS

'THE BIGGEST LOSER' ON TUESDAY HANGS TOUGH AGAINST COMPETITION FROM 'IDOL' AND 'DANCING WITH THE STARS,' GAINING 7 PERCENT IN 18-49 VERSUS THE PRIOR WEEK AND BUILDING DRAMATICALLY OVER ITS TWO HOURS

'LAW & ORDER' ON WEDNESDAY APPREHENDS A TIME-PERIOD VICTORY IN 18-49 AND TOTAL VIEWERS, WITH A 58 PERCENT ADVANTAGE IN 18-49 AND A 66 MARGIN IN TOTAL VIEWERS OVER ITS CLOSEST COMPETITOR

'LIPSTICK JUNGLE' SCORES ITS HIGHEST NUMBERS SINCE ITS SERIES PREMIERE IN 18-49 AND TOTAL VIEWERS, WINNING ITS THURSDAY SLOT IN ALL KEY ADULT-FEMALE DEMOS

BURBANK, Calif. � March 25, 2008 � Paced by key time period wins from scripted dramas "Medium" and "Law & Order," and more solid performances from unscripted hits "The Biggest Loser," "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal," NBC averaged a 2.1 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 7.1 million viewers overall for the week of March 17-23, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Through 26 weeks of the 2007-08 season, Fox is leading in primetime's key demographic of adults 18-49, with the race for #2 extraordinarily tight. Season-to-date averages in adults 18-49 for the period September 24, 2007 through March 23, 2008 are Fox (4.3/12), ABC (3.1/8), NBC and CBS (3.0/8), Univision (1.5/4), CW (1.0/3) and Telemundo (0.4/1).

Through the first 26 weeks of the 2007-08 season, NBC is the only network to have grown younger in primetime, and NBC is now the "second-youngest" of the major broadcast networks. NBC's median age has moved to 47.7 years this season from 47.9 years at this point last season. In this same comparison, ABC's median age has increased by 2.1 years (to 48.8 from 46.7), CBS's median age has increased by 1.1 years to 52.8 years old from 51.7 and Fox's median age has increased by 1.1 year to 43.8 from 42.7 years old at this point last season.

Primetime averages for the week of March 17-23 in adults 18-49 were Fox (3.7/10), CBS (3.0/9), ABC (2.8/8), NBC (2.1/6), Univision (1.4/4), CW (1.0/3) and Telemundo (0.4/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were Fox (10.1 million), ABC (9.2 million), CBS (8.8 million), NBC (7.1 million), Univision (3.4 million), CW (2.4 million) and Telemundo (1.0 million).

NBC highlights for the week of March 17-23:

* On Monday, "Medium" summoned its biggest overall viewership of the season (highest total-viewer tally since May 2006). "Medium" ranked #1 in its time period in adults 18-49, tied with ABC's "Bachelor" premiere, and won its slot outright in adults 25-54 and total viewers.

* On Tuesday, despite extraordinary competition from two hours of "American Idol" and the Tuesday debut of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," "The Biggest Loser" increased in 18-49 rating versus the prior week. "Biggest Loser 5" is running well ahead of the ratings performance of "Biggest Loser 4," despite the current cycle facing competition from "American Idol" that the previous cycle of "Loser" did not face.

* Despite the intense competition on Tuesday night, "Biggest Loser" gained 37 percent in 18-49 rating from its first half-hour to its fourth.

* On Wednesday, "Law & Order" won its hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key ratings measures. "Law & Order" locked up the hour with a 58 percent margin of victory in adults 18-49 and a 66 percent advantage in total viewers over its closest competitor.

* On Thursday, the season finale of "Lipstick Jungle" scored its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since its series premiere on February 7. "Lipstick Jungle" won its hour in all key adult-female demographics � women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 � and was the #1 non-sports choice in the hour in adults 18-49 and other key measures, trailing only NCAA basketball on CBS.

* Also on Thursday, "Deal or No Deal" won the first hour of primetime in total viewers, women 18-49 and women 25-54 and was the #1 non-sports choice in the hour among adults 18-49, trailing only NCAA basketball.

* Additionally on Thursday, "The Celebrity Apprentice" continues to pace well ahead of the most recent cycle in the "Apprentice" franchise. Thursday's episode, the 12th of the current cycle, topped the 12th episode of "Apprentice 6" by 23 percent in 18-49 rating. Season-to-date, the increase for "Celebrity Apprentice" over "Apprentice 6" is 21 percent in adults 18-49.

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 March 17-23:

On Monday, March 17, from 8-9 p.m. ET, "My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad" averaged a 1.4 rating, 4 share in adults 18-49 and 4.4 million viewers overall. From its first to its second half-hour, "My Dad" increased by 23 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.6 from a 1.3).

Monday from 9-10 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (2.9/7 in 18-49, 10.1 million viewers overall) finished within 3 percent of its prior week's 18-49 rating despite the arrival of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and "The Bachelor" and the return of original episodes of CBS's "Two and a Half Men" in the time period.

"Deal" exhibited potent growth from its first to its second half-hour, gaining 46 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 3.5/8 from a 2.4/6) and 48 percent, or nearly 3.9 million persons, in total viewers (to 12.0 million from 8.1 million

Monday at 10 p.m. ET, "Medium" (3.3/9 in 18-49, 10.1 million viewers overall) matched its highest 18-49 rating in more than a year (since Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007). In total viewers, "Medium" summoned its biggest viewership of the season (and highest since May 8, 2006). "Medium" ranked #1 in its time period in adults 18-49 (tied with ABC's "Bachelor" premiere) and won the hour outright in adults 25-54 and total viewers.

On Tuesday, March 18, "The Biggest Loser 5" (3.2/8 share in adults 18-49, 7.9 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. ET, and in the 9 p.m. hour finished within a tenth of a rating point of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" second-place Tuesday debut. "The Biggest Loser" topped "Dancing" in head-to-head competition in the 9-10 p.m. hour among adults, men and women 18-34 and men 18-49. Despite the arrival of "Dancing" in the 9 p.m. hour, "Biggest Loser" was up 7 percent week-to-week in 8-10 p.m. 18-49 averages (to a 3.2 from a 3.0).

Despite a full two hours of head-to-head competition with "Idol," "Biggest Loser" gained 37 percent in 18-49 rating from its first half-hour to its fourth (to a 3.7/8 from a 2.7/7) and 17 percent in total viewers (to 8.5 million from 7.3 million).

To date, "The Biggest Loser 5" is running 10 percent ahead of "Biggest Loser 4" in 18-49 rating (3.4 vs. 3.1, "live plus same day" averages through 12 episodes of each). In total viewers, "Biggest Loser 5" is running 13 percent ahead of "Biggest Loser 4" (8.3 million vs. 7.4 million), even though "Biggest Loser 5" is facing competition from "American Idol" that "Biggest Loser 4" did not face.

Tuesday at 10 p.m., an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" averaged a 2.8/7 in 18-49 and 8.3 million viewers overall, despite special competition from 10-10:32 p.m. from the Tuesday debut of "Dancing With the Stars." In the final half-hour of prime, from 10:30-11 p.m., the "SVU" rebroadcast (2.9/8 in 18-49) topped both ABC's 10:32-11 p.m. debut of "Miss Guided" (2.7/8 in 18-49) and CBS's first-run "Jericho."

NBC finished within one-tenth of a rating point of ABC in the race for #2 on Tuesday night in adults 18-49, despite ABC's 92-minute Tuesday premiere of "Dancing With the Stars."

On Wednesday, March 19 from 8-9 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" averaged a 1.4/4 in 18-49 and 5.4 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., a second rebroadcast of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" averaged a 1.7/4 in 18-49 and 6.8 million viewers overall.

Wednesday from 10-11 p.m. ET, "Law & Order" (3.0/8 in 18-49, 10.5 million viewers overall) won the hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key ratings categories. "Law & Order" ranked #1 in the time period in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures. In adults 18-49, "Law & Order" captured the hour by a 58 percent margin over CBS's "CSI: NY" encore (3.0 vs. 1.9) and an 88 percent advantage over ABC's first-run "Men in Trees" (3.0 vs. 1.6). In total viewers, "Law & Order" outpaced the "CSI: NY" encore by 66 percent (10.5 million vs. 6.3 million) and topped "Men in Trees" by 78 percent (10.5 million vs. 5.9 million).

On Thursday, March 20 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (2.6/8 in 18-49, 10.3 million viewers overall) won the hour in total viewers, women 18-49 and women 25-54 and was the #1 non-sports choice in the hour among adults 18-49, trailing only NCAA basketball on CBS in that demo.

From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" increased by 48 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 3.1/9 from a 2.1/7) and by 27 percent, or nearly 2.5 million persons, in total viewers (to 11.5 million from 9.0 million).

Thursday from 9-10:01 p.m. ET, "The Celebrity Apprentice" (3.2/8 in adults 18-49, 8.8 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in women 18-49 and women 25-54. "Celebrity Apprentice" grew by 10 percent in 18-49 rating from its first half-hour to its second (to a 3.3/9 from a 3.0/8).

"Celebrity Apprentice" continues to pace solidly ahead of the most recent cycle in the "Apprentice" franchise, with Thursday's episode, the 12th of the current cycle, topping the 12th episode of "Apprentice 6" by 23 percent in 18-49 rating (3.2 vs. a 2.6 on Sunday, April 8, 2007 at 10 p.m.). Season-to-date, the increase for "Celebrity Apprentice" over "Apprentice 6" is 21 percent in adults 18-49 in "live plus same day" averages.

Thursday from 10:01-11 p.m. ET, "Lipstick Jungle" (2.6/7 in 18-49, 6.9 million viewers overall) hit its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since its series premiere on February 7. "Lipstick Jungle" won the hour in all key adult female demographics (women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54) and was the #1 non-sports choice in the hour in adults 18-49, trailing only NCAA basketball.

On Friday, March 21 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Amne$ia" averaged a 1.3/4 in adults 18-49 and 5.1 million viewers overall. "Amne$ia" was the #1 non-sports choice in adults 25-54, total viewers and other key categories, trailing only NCAA basketball.

Friday from 9-11 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.5/5 in 18-49 and 6.3 million viewers overall. From its first to its fourth half-hour, "Dateline" increased by 38 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.8/5 from a 1.3/4) and by 30 percent, or more than 1.6 million persons, in total viewers (to 7.1 million from 5.4 million).

On Saturday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "The Celebrity Apprentice" averaged a 0.6/2 in 18-49 and 2.3 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Law & Order: SVU" (1.2/4 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in from the previous hour by 100 percent in 18-49 rating. At 10 p.m., an encore telecast of "Law & Order" (1.5/5 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 25 percent in adults 18-49.

On Sunday, March 23 from 7-7:25 p.m. ET, an overrun of NBC Sports' coverage of the "World Golf Championships-CA Championship" averaged a 1.2/4 in 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall.

Sunday from 7:25-9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.3/4 in 18-49 and 6.1 million viewers overall. From its first full half-hour to its third, "Dateline" increased by 33 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.6 from a 1.2) and by 23 percent in total viewers (to 7.1 million from 5.8 million).

At 9 p.m., an encore telecast of "Law & Order" delivered a 1.9/5 in 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers overall. "Law & Order" ranked #2 in the hour in total viewers.

At 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: SVU" (2.4/6 in 18-49, 8.1 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 26 percent to lock up NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the slot in five weeks (since February 17, "Knight Rider"). "SVU" ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and won the hour in total viewers.