NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 30-FEB. 5

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 30-FEB. 5

BURBANK, Calif. � Feb. 7, 2006 � NBC averaged a 2.6 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 7.6 million viewers for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2006, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5 in adults 18-49 were ABC (8.5/21), Fox (4.3/10), CBS (3.7/9), NBC (2.6/6), Univision (1.8/5), WB (1.5/4) and UPN (1.1/3). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were ABC (22.9 million), CBS (12.1 million), Fox (10.3 million), NBC (7.6 million), Univision (4.1 million), WB (3.5 million) and UPN (2.7 million). Such key NBC dramas as "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Medium," "Las Vegas" and "Crossing Jordan" were pre-empted or in rebroadcast this week.

NBC highlights for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5:

* On Friday, a two-hour "Dateline NBC" delivered NBC's best non-Olympic 18-49 rating in the time period in nearly two years and the highest rating for any network in the slot in 10 months.

* Among adults 18-49, Friday's telecast of "Dateline" was the highest-rated edition of the newsmagazine to be broadcast on any night of the week in more than a year, and the highest-rated Friday "Dateline" since April 2003.

* On Wednesday, "The Biggest Loser: Special Edition" scored a 46 percent increase in 18-49 rating versus NBC's pre-"Loser" season average for the time period. "Biggest Loser" also grew by 19 percent from half-hour to half-hour, generating the most growth of any network in the hour.

* On Thursday, "My Name is Earl" scored a 19 percent gain in adults 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Earl" average in the time period. Through 20 weeks, "My Name is Earl" is the #1 half-hour comedy and #1 new series of the 2005-06 season in the key demographic of adults 18-49.

* Also on Thursday, "The Office" retained a best-ever 96 percent of its lead-in from "My Name is Earl," ranking #2 in 18-49 in its highly competitive time period, outperforming ABC's "Crumbs" and Fox's "The O.C." In its five weeks on NBC's Thursday schedule, "The Office" has delivered its best retentions to date of its lead-in from "Earl," averaging an 89 percent retention (vs.71 percent when the shows aired on Tuesday night).

Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of live only results through Dec. 25 and "live plus seven day" data since then, except for the two most recent weeks, which are live plus same day.

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5:

On Monday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. ET, "Surface" averaged a 2.5 rating, 6 share in 18-49 (up 9 percent vs. the prior week) and 8.3 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m. ET, an encore "Las Vegas" averaged a 2.5/6 in 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers overall and at 10 p.m., an encore "Medium" delivered a 2.5/6 in adults 18-49 and 6.9 million viewers overall.

(Note: On Tuesday, Jan. 31, NBC News' coverage of The State of the Union Address from 9-10:32 p.m. ET was sustaining and is not included in the nightly or weekly averages.)

On Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. ET, "The Biggest Loser: Special Edition" (3.5/8 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall) generated a 46 percent increase in 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Loser" season average for this time period (3.5 vs. 2.4). From its first to its second half-hour, "Biggest Loser" grew by 19 percent in 18-49 (to a 3.8/9 from a 3.2/8), the most gain for any network in the hour. From 8-9 p.m. ET that night, "E-Ring" averaged a 1.8/5 in 18-49 and 7.6 million viewers overall, ranking #2 in the hour in total viewers, and at 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order" averaged a 2.8/7 in 18-49 and 8.9 million viewers overall, ranking #2 in 18-49, total viewers and all other key measures.

On Thursday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" averaged a 3.0/8 in 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall. At 8:30 p.m., "Four Kings" (2.9/7 in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall) retained 97 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Will & Grace."

Thursday, at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (5.0/12 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 72 percent to lift NBC 19 percent above its season average for the time period prior to "Earl" (5.0 vs. 4.2).

At 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday, "The Office" (4.8/11 in 18-49, 9.2 million viewers overall) retained a best-ever 96 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "My Name is Earl." In its five weeks on NBC's Thursday schedule, "The Office" has delivered its five strongest retentions to date of its 18-49 lead-in from "Earl" (averaging an 89 percent retention versus 71 percent following "Earl" earlier this season on Tuesday nights). Last week's "Office" finished #2 in the competitive time period in 18-49, topping ABC's rival comedy "Crumbs" (2.7/6) by a 78 percent margin and Fox's "The O.C." (2.6/6 that half-hour) by 85 percent.

That night at 10 p.m. ET, "ER" averaged a 5.9/15 in 18-49 and 13.8 million viewers overall, cutting CBS' lead for the hour down to 14 percent despite a lead-in advantage for CBS of 108 percent in the preceding half-hour (10.0 vs. 4.8 from 9:30-10 p.m.). "ER" also trimmed CBS' advantage in total viewers by more than 13 million versus the previous half-hour.

On Friday, Feb. 3 from 9-11 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (3.8/11 in 18-49, 10.6 million viewers overall) reported the network's top non-Olympic 18-49 rating in this time period in nearly two years (since Feb. 20, 2004) and the highest rating for any network in this slot in 10 months (since CBS' March 25, 2005 NCAA Basketball Tournament coverage).

"Dateline NBC" was #1 in adults 18-49 and most other key demographics, posting a 65 percent increase in 18-49 rating versus NBC's season average for the time period (3.8 vs. 2.3). NBC tied for first Friday night in adults 18-49.

In adults 18-49, the Feb. 3 telecast of "Dateline" was the newsmagazine's highest-rated Friday edition since April 13, 2003 and the highest-rated "Dateline" to be broadcast on any night of the week in more than a year (since the Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005 interview with Amber Frey).

On Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order" (2.1/6 in 18-49, 8.8 million viewers overall) was #2 in adults 18-49 and #1 in total viewers.

On Sunday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2.3/5 in 18-49, 7.7 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 92 percent to finish #2 in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.