TV Ratings : Reality-Based Shows Join Comedies as Viewers’ Picks

Summer is here but TV viewers aren’t looking only for escape, judging by the A.C. Nielsen ratings released Tuesday for last week. “PrimeTime Live,” “Dateline NBC” and “20/20” all finished in the Top 10, as did a rerun of a CBS movie about spousal abuse, “When No One Would Listen,” and a first-run ABC movie about a U.S. soldier held prisoner in Vietnam, “The Last P.O.W.? The Bobby Garwood Story,” starring Ralph Macchio.

In addition, CBS’ documentary last Wednesday about retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf’s visit to Vietnam won its time period and tied for 14th among the 96 programs that were broadcast by the networks in prime time. It attracted viewers in about 9.9 million homes.

The public’s passion for reality did not extend, however, to Fox’s newsmagazine “Front Page,” which in its second outing Saturday night was seen in about 3.4 million homes, ran fourth in its time slot and ranked 81st overall. Meanwhile, NBC’s “I Witness Video” had a decent outing on Wednesday night but drew fewer than half those viewers when it returned to its regular time slot Sunday.

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.

Sta- Rat- Program tion ing 1. Roseanne KABC 17.7 2. Home Improvement KABC 17.0 3. 20/20 KABC 15.1 4. The Simpsons KTTV 14.3 5. Dateline NBC KNBC 12.7 6. “The Last P.O.W.?” KABC 12.0 Coach KABC 12.0 8. Step by Step KABC 11.7 Full House KABC 11.7 10. PrimeTime Live KABC 11.0

Weekly Averages

ABC: 8.7

CBS: 8.6

NBC: 7.3

FOX: 4.8