TV Ratings Report

NBC outrated ABC to win the week of the Academy Awards--normally a ratings winner--in adults 18 to 49 for the second straight year. About 6.9 million tuned into ABC’s “Nightline” when it examined the Heaven’s Gate suicides, helping it to outperform NBC’s “Tonight Show” by 24% and CBS’ “Late Show” by 61% in total viewers. The WB scored its highest overnight ratings ever for a program premiere when the new family comedy “Smart Guy” debuted Wednesday.