TV Ratings : Kenny Rogers, Grammys Power CBS to the Top

With help from the Grammy Awards and former Grammy winner Kenny Rogers, CBS rolled to its 11th win in the past 12 weeks in the prime-time ratings last week. Figures released Tuesday by the A. C. Nielsen Co. showed that CBS had five of the Top 10 shows, with the Grammys at No. 3 and Rogers’ Sunday night movie, “Rio Diablo,” at No. 8. CBS’ “60 Minutes” was No. 1.

CBS said the ratings for the Grammy telecast last Wednesday were the best since 1988, and 23% higher than last year. But ABC pointed out that, for the fifth year in a row, the Grammy ratings were not as good as those for ABC’s “American Music Awards,” which on Jan. 25 was seen in about 20.1 million homes compared to 18.6 million for the Grammys.

NBC was a distant third in the weekly competition but had two very bright spots: on Monday, where “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” (No. 11) and “Blossom” (No. 19) trounced a heavily promoted, hourlong episode of CBS’ “Hearts Afire” (No. 32), in which the characters played by Markie Post and John Ritter got married; and on Thursday, where “Seinfeld” registered its best ratings ever and actually did better than the show that preceded it, “Cheers.” NBC said it was the first time a 9:30 p.m. half-hour show has improved on “Cheers’ ” ratings since “Taxi” in 1982.

WEEKLY AVERAGE CBS: 15.1 ABC: 12.5 NBC: 11.4 FOX: 7.8

SEASON TO DATE CBS: 13.5 ABC: 12.5 NBC: 11.1 FOX: 7.8