From Worst to First

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NETWORK TV IS A NOTORIOUSLY TROUBLED business, with cable, VCRs and other rivals steadily wooing away viewers. But that doesn't mean one of the Big Three can't still pop a champagne cork every spring. This year's celebrator: CBS, first in prime-time ratings for the 1991-92 season. The network drew an average 13.8 rating for the 30-week period, comfortably ahead of NBC, at 12.3, and ABC, at 12.2. It was an especially satisfying victory for CBS, which has been in third place for the past four seasons; no other network has jumped from worst to first in one year.

CBS was lifted by such hits as 60 Minutes (TV's No. 1-rated show), Murphy Brown and Designing Women and also got a big boost from blockbuster sports events like the Super Bowl, World Series and Winter Olympics. But the huge cost of acquiring TV rights to those events means that CBS, despite its victory, will lose money for the season.

The other big winner was Fox, which increased its ratings 25% over last year. The Big Three had some unaccustomed good news as well: their combined share of the TV audience rose for the first time since 1976-77, from 62% to 63%. Has the long-term erosion of network viewership finally bottomed out?

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE

CREDIT: TIME Graphic by Steve Hart

[TMFONT 1 d #666666 d {Source: Nielsen Media Services}]CAPTION: Ratings Race