No Summertime Blues for ‘Survivor,’ ‘Millionaire’

The windup to the long Fourth of July holiday weekend didn’t produce the usual ratings swoon for the broadcast networks, which continue to receive a lift from so-called reality programming, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.

With “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in reruns, CBS’ summer series “Survivor” received the most votes from the Nielsen judges, topping the prime-time standings for the second straight week despite the first week-to-week audience decline since the program’s May 31 premiere. CBS attributes the dip in part to lower viewing in the opening hour of prime time due to Daylight Savings Time, noting that more people watched the final portion of “Survivor”--when one “contestant” gets the boot--than in any of the previous installments.

ABC’s two-hour Peter Jennings special “The Search for the Historical Jesus” also found a receptive audience, delivering the network’s highest rating for a documentary since 1993. As a sign of “Millionaire’s” ratings trajectory, meanwhile, the reruns are drawing more viewers than they did when they originally were broadcast in August.

Although “Survivor” is attracting young viewers to CBS--generally an older-skewing network--so far the program has short coattails. The network still ranked third last week among adults age 18 to 49.