TV Ratings

‘Queen’ Makes CBS King for the Week

They weren’t “Roots”-like ratings, but “Queen”--another miniseries based on Alex Haley’s family--attracted big audiences.

Figures released Tuesday by the A.C. Nielsen Co. showed that more than 35 million people watched the second installment of the CBS drama last week, with the number dropping by 2 million for the conclusion two nights later--making them the No. 1- and No. 3-ranked programs for the week. The first installment of the miniseries--which starred Halle Berry as Haley’s paternal grandmother--had finished No. 3 in the previous week’s ratings.

With four other programs in the Top 10, CBS easily rolled to victory over its rival networks and continues to lead in the season-to-date averages. ABC, however, says that it is the only network to have boosted its ratings from last year--by 3%, while Fox is even, CBS is down 5% and NBC is down 12%.

Sunday’s overtime NBA All-Star contest, in its first prime-time appearance since 1976, earned the highest rating in the game’s history--a 14.3, compared to the previous record of 13.7 in 1971. It tied at No. 25 among the week’s 85 prime-time programs.

WEEKLY AVERAGES CBS: 17.0 ABC: 13.0 NBC: 11.9 FOX: 8.7

SEASON TO DATE CBS: 13.4 ABC: 12.5 NBC: 11.1 FOX: 7.8