NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 19-25

BURBANK, Calif. -- December 28, 2005 -- NBC averaged a 2.6 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers for the week of Dec. 19-25, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Dec. 19-25 in adults 18-49 were CBS (2.8/8), Fox (2.7/8), NBC (2.6/8), ABC (2.5/8), UPN (1.1/3) and WB (0.8/2). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (10.0 million), NBC (7.7 million), ABC (7.3 million), Fox (6.8 million), UPN (3.0 million) and WB (2.0 million).

NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 19-25:

* NBC's five telecasts of "Deal or No Deal" won their respective time periods on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

* On average, the five telecasts of "Deal or No Deal" improved the time periods by 54 percent in adults 18-49 versus NBC's season-to-date averages for the slots (with an average 4.3 rating vs. a 2.8) and by 51 percent in total viewers (12.7 million vs. 8.4 million). (Note: Individual night and time period improvements for each telecast appear in the nightly and program highlights section below.)

* All five telecasts of "Deal or No Deal" built substantially from half-hour to half-hour, posting 18-49 ratings increases of 26 percent on Monday, 19 percent on Tuesday, 33 percent on Wednesday, 19 percent on Thursday and 18 percent on Friday.

* The Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday telecasts of "Deal or No Deal" scored season-high numbers for NBC in the respective time periods in both adults 18-49 and total viewers. The Tuesday telecast of "Deal" dealt NBC its second-highest results of the season in the time period, trailing only the finale of "The Biggest Loser" on Nov. 29.

* On Tuesday, "My Name is Earl" delivered its highest rating to date for an encore episode and tied "Deal or No Deal" as the highest-rated program on television Tuesday night in adults 18-49.

* NBC placed four telecasts in the week's top 10 in adults 18-49 with the Wednesday edition of "Deal or No Deal" ranking #4 and the Tuesday and Thursday editions of "Deal" and "My Name is Earl" ranking #6 (tied) out of a total of 109 broadcast network programs for the week. All five editions of "Deal or No Deal" ranked in the week's top 20 (18-49, total viewers).

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Dec. 19-25:

On Monday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET, the premiere of "Deal or No Deal" (3.9 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49, 11.6 million viewers overall) delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the time period in seven months (since May 2) and largest total viewership in more than a year (since Dec. 6, 2004). "Deal" won the hour in 18-49, total viewers and virtually all key measures, beating, among other competition, first-run episodes of CBS' comedies "King of Queens" and "How I Met Your Mother" and ABC's original "Wife Swap." From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" grew by 26 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 4.3 from a 3.4) and by more than 2 million viewers. That night from 9-11 p.m. ET, the "Radio Music Awards" averaged a 2.2/6 in 18-49 and 5.3 million viewers overall.

On Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. ET, night two of "Deal or No Deal" (4.6/13 in 18-49, 12.6 million viewers overall) dominated the time period, winning by every key ratings measure and doubling its nearest competitors among adults, men and women 18-34. Once again "Deal" grew dramatically from half-hour to half-hour, increasing by 19 percent in 18-49 (to a 5.0 from a 4.2) and by 10 percent in total viewers. "Deal or No Deal" on Tuesday improved on NBC's strong season-to-date average for this time period by 24 percent in adults 18-49 (4.6 vs. 3.7) and delivered NBC's second-highest 18-49 rating and total viewer result in the time period this season (second only to the finale of "The Biggest Loser" on Nov. 29).

Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, an encore "My Name is Earl" (4.6/12 in 18-49, 10.2 million viewers overall) delivered that series' highest rating thus far for a rebroadcast, up 39 percent in 18-49 rating versus its Tuesday encore average this season (all in the 9:30 p.m. ET time period). With identical 4.6 ratings, "Earl" and "Deal or No Deal" tied as the top-rated shows on television Tuesday night in adults 18-49.

That night at 9:30 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "The Office" (3.2/8 in 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall) ranked #1 among adults 18-34. And at 10 p.m. ET, a rebroadcast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.3/9 in 18-49, 9.2 million viewers overall) was #1 among adults, men and women 18-34.

On Wednesday, Dec. 21 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (4.9/15 in 18-49, 14.1 million viewers overall) ruled its time period in every key ratings category. In adults 18-49, "Deal" won its slot by an 88 percent margin of victory (4.9 vs. 2.6 for ABC's encore comedies). Once again, "Deal" built dramatically from half-hour to half-hour, this time rising 33 percent in 18-49 (to a 5.6/16 from a 4.2/13) and by more than 3.0 million viewers overall.

Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, the finale of "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" averaged a 2.6/7 in 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall. This was the series' highest 18-49 rating since Nov. 2 and its largest overall viewer total since Oct. 26. At 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" averaged a 2.7/8 in 18-49 and 9.0 million viewers overall.

NBC won Wednesday night in adults 18-49 and total viewers, the network's first Wednesday win since Aug. 31.

On Thursday, Dec. 22, night four of "Deal or No Deal" (4.6/14 in 18-49, 13.5 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) dominated the time period in every key ratings category, more than doubling its closest competitor in adults, men and women 18-49. "Deal" delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the hour since Feb. 10 ("Joey" and "Will & Grace") and the top total viewer tally since Dec. 16, 2004 (the finale of "The Apprentice 2"). "Deal" was up 48 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's season average for the time period (4.6 vs. 3.1). From its first half-hour to its second, it built by 21 percent in 18-49 (to a 5.1 from a 4.2) and by more than two million viewers overall.

Also on Thursday, an encore "Joey" from 9-9:30 p.m. ET (2.7/8 in 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures and a "Will & Grace" rebroadcast from 9:30-10 p.m. ET (2.4/7 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall) was #2 in 18-49 and other key demographics. An encore "ER" (2.5/7 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall) was also #2 in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

On Friday, Dec. 23 from 8-9 p.m. ET, night five of "Deal or No Deal" (3.6/13 in 18-49, 11.6 million viewers overall) matched the highest 18-49 rating in the hour for any network since CBS' NCAA Basketball Tournament on March 25. Excluding sports, "Deal" equaled the highest 18-49 rating in the time period for any network in more than two years (since the Sept. 26, 2003 premiere of CBS' "Joan of Arcadia"). Friday's "Deal or No Deal" also marked NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the slot since the Athens Olympics in August 2004 and excluding sports was NBC's best performance in the time period in two and a half years (since April 4, 2003, "America's Most Talented Kid"). In total viewers, this was NBC's biggest audience in the slot with non-Olympic programming in nearly two years (since the Feb. 20, 2004, "Dateline NBC"). Friday's "Deal of No Deal" ranked #1 in all key ratings categories.

Also on Friday, at 9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (2.6/8 in 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in 18-49 and #1 in total viewers. At 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2.3/7 in 18-49, 8.4 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in 18-49 and #1 in adults, men and women 18-34.

On Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, NBC's 19th primetime telecast of the 1946 classic "It's a Wonderful Life" delivered a 1.6/6 in 18-49 and 4.4 million viewers overall from 8-11 p.m. ET.