TV RATINGS : CBS Takes First Overall Win Since 1988

ABC broadcast the three highest-rated programs on prime-time television last week; CBS broadcast two of the three lowest. So how did the networks fare overall? CBS came in first and ABC was third, according to ratings released Tuesday by the A. C. Nielsen Co. CBS, which had tied NBC for first last week, said this was the first time it had won a week outright since June, 1988. And in the important May “sweeps,” CBS is now just .1 off NBC’s pace, with ABC running third. CBS’ most-watched show last week was the TV movie “Shattered Dreams” on Sunday, which ranked No. 7 and beat ABC’s telecast of “Platoon” (No. 27) and the first part of NBC’s “People Like Us” (No. 60). The full list of ratings is on Page 9.

* “The Simpsons” was the second most-watched program in the Los Angeles area last week and ranked 12th nationally, while Fox’s “Married . . . With Children” was first locally and No. 14 nationally. Fox’s Saturday schedule placed third, ahead of CBS, and its Sunday lineup also finished third, beating NBC for the second week in a row.

Show Points Share 1.”Funniest Home Videos”(ABC) 20.6 36 2.”Roseanne”(ABC) 18.9 30 3.”Funniest Videos--Part II”(ABC) 18.3 30 4.”Cheers”(NBC) 17.6 28 5.”Empty Nest”(NBC) 16.9 31 *”The Simpsons”(Fox) 15.4 25