THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996 TAG: 9610310059
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID BAUDER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: 60 lines
THE YANKEES aren't the only ones celebrating a big World Series victory.
Fox's aggressive effort to outbid competitors for baseball and football paid off Tuesday when the network posted its first-ever win in the weekly TV ratings since taking to the air in 1987.
All five games of the New York Yankees-Atlanta Braves series on Fox for the week of Oct. 21-27 finished among the 10 most-watched shows, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox finished with a 15.8 rating and a 26 share, easily outdistancing second-place NBC, which had a 9.6 rating and 16 share.
``That's one of the direct benefits of buying something like this - you get the major events and it provides you with an outstanding platform to promote your network,'' said Vincent Wladika, spokesman for Fox sports.
Fox sprinkled stars of its programs in the stands at the World Series and relentlessly promoted its new drama, ``Millennium.'' The show finished a strong 20th for the week with an 11.9 rating.
The Yankees' comeback proved fortuitous for Fox. The first two games of the Series, won by the Braves, were the lowest-rated of the six-game series. The fifth game on Thursday, won 1-0 by the Yankees, was the most-watched game with a 20 rating. (The first game, on Oct. 20, wasn't included in the latest ratings).
Although NBC scheduled a repeat episode because of the World Series, ``ER'' was the week's top-rated nonbaseball show.
CBS' high-profile premiere, ``Ink,'' starring Ted Danson, finished tied for 20th place with ``Millennium.'' CBS' ``Touched By an Angel'' had its best showing ever.
In the evening news race, ABC's ``World News Tonight'' stayed on top with a 8.2 rating and 17 share. ``NBC Nightly News'' had a 8.1 rating and a 17 share, while ``CBS Evening News'' had a 6.9 rating and 15 share.
Here are the prime-time ratings as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Oct. 21-27. Top 15 listings include the week's ranking, with rating for the week, season-to-date rankings in parentheses, and total homes. An ``X'' in parentheses denotes one-time-only presentation.
1. (X) ``Fox World Series Game 5,'' Fox, 20.0, 19.4 million homes
2. (X) ``Fox World Series Game 6,'' Fox, 19.1, 18.5 million homes
3. (X) ``Fox World Series Game 4,'' Fox, 17.9, 17.4 million homes
4. (X) ``Fox World Series Game 3,'' Fox, 17.5, 17.0 million homes
5. (2) ``ER,'' NBC, 15.9, 15.4 million homes
6. (12) ``Touched by an Angel,'' CBS, 14.6, 14.2 million homes
7. (12) ``60 Minutes,'' CBS, 14.4, 14.0 million homes
8. (X) ``Frasier,'' NBC, 14.1, 13.7 million homes
9. (X) ``Fox World Series Game 2,'' 14.0, 13.6 million homes
10. (6) ``Home Improvement,'' ABC, 13.9, 13.5 million homes
11. (8) ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 13.8, 13.4 million homes
12. (4) ``Friends,'' NBC, 13.4, 13.0 million homes
13. (X) ``Mad About You,'' NBC, 13.2, 12.8 million homes
13. (15) ``20/20,'' ABC, 13.2, 12.8 million homes
15. (23) ``Chicago Hope,'' CBS, 12.6, 12.2 million homes
KEYWORDS: NEILSEN RATINGS by CNB