TV Ratings : Oscar Telecast Powers ABC to the Top of the Heap

With its best performance since 1983, the Academy Awards telecast sent ABC flying to the top of the ratings averages last week, figures from the A.C. Nielsen Co. showed Tuesday. ABC had four other shows among the Top 10.

The Academy Awards broadcast on March 29, hosted by Billy Crystal, was seen in about 29 million homes and attracted 51% of the people watching TV at the time. By contrast, the second-best rated show of the week, ABC’s “Home Improvement,” was seen in about 20.4 million homes and was the choice of 34% of the viewers. At the other end of the spectrum, Fox’s “Class of ‘96” was watched in 3.7 million homes, about 6% of the available audience.

NBC’s “L.A. Law” won its much-publicized matchup Thursday night against the CBS show created by its former executive producer, “Picket Fences.” But they both lost to ABC’s “PrimeTime Live,” and “L.A. Law’s” ratings dropped 28% from the show that preceded it, “Seinfeld.”

CBS had better luck Friday with the debut of “Good Advice,” which won its time period and placed No. 35 among the week’s 94 prime-time network programs. ABC’s new entry on Tuesdays, “Home Free,” tied for No. 36.

Southland Ratings

Here are A. C. Nielsen’s Top 10 prime-time programs in the Los Angeles area during the same week. Each rating point equals 49,657 households.

Station Rating Program 1. “Barbara Walters Special” KABC 33.8 2. The Simpsons KTTV 22.9 3. Home Improvement KABC 22.7 4. Coach KABC 19.8 5. Roseanne KABC 18.7 6. 60 Minutes KCBS 17.6 7. “David Copperfield Special” KCBS 16.6 8. Martin KTTV 16.1 9. Cheers KNBC 15.9 10. Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper KABC 15.6

Weekly Averages ABC: 14.4 CBS: 12.4 NBC: 10.2 FOX: 7.5

Season to Date CBS: 13.4 ABC: 12.5 NBC: 11.0 FOX: 7.8