NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 27-APRIL 2

BURBANK, Calif. -- April 4, 2006 -- NBC averaged a 3.1 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 9.2 million viewers overall for the week of March 27-April 2, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of March 27-April 2 in adults 18-49 were Fox (4.4/12), CBS (3.9/11), ABC (3.4/9), NBC (3.1/8), Univision (1.6/4), UPN (1.2/3), WB (1.1/3) and Telemundo (0.5/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (12.9 million), Fox (10.4 million), NBC (9.2 million), ABC (8.9 million), Univision (3.7 million), UPN (2.9 million), WB (2.8 million) and Telemundo (0.9 million).

NBC highlights for the week of March 27-April 2:

* On Monday, "Deal or No Deal" won its hour in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, outperforming Fox's "Prison Break," ABC's "Wife Swap" and CBS' encore comedies. "Deal" was up 73 percent in 18-49 rating versus NBC's non-sports pre-"Deal" season average for the time period.

* On Tuesday, "Scrubs" sewed up NBC's highest non-Olympic rating in the time period since its season premiere on Jan. 3, and the premiere of "Teachers" retained 94 percent of the "Scrubs" lead-in in 18-49 rating (and 99 percent in overall total viewers). Both comedies ranked #2 in this competitive hour among adults, men and women 18-34.

* Also on Tuesday, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" locked up its top 18-49 rating and highest overall viewership since Feb. 7, winning its time period in 18-49 and all key ratings categories and beating the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults 18-34.

* On Wednesday, "Deal or No Deal" scored NBC's highest non-Olympic 18-49 rating in the time period in more than five years and largest non-Olympic viewership in the hour in more than six years. "Deal" won its slot in 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

* On Thursday, "Will & Grace" scored its highest 18-49 rating and largest total viewership since its live telecast on Jan. 12.

* On Friday, "Deal or No Deal" scored NBC's highest non-Olympic numbers in the time period (18-49 and total viewers) in more than four years, and the highest non-sports 18-49 rating for any network in the slot in more than three years. "Deal" was #1 in all key ratings categories. Also on Friday, "Las Vegas" ranked #1 in adults 18-49 and other key demos.

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.

Non-sports averages for the 2005-06 television season among adults 18-49 are: CBS (a 3.8 rating), Fox (3.8), ABC (3.7), NBC (3.1), WB (1.3), and UPN (1.2).

Additional NBC highlights for the week of March 27-April 2:

On Monday, March 27, at 8 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (5.2 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49, 16.2 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures, outperforming the return of Fox's "Prison Break," ABC's "Wife Swap" and CBS' encore comedies. "Deal" was up 73 percent in 18-49 rating versus NBC's pre-"Deal" non-sports season average for the time period (5.2 vs. 3.0).

Monday at 9 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice 5" averaged a 3.9/9 in 18-49 and 9.8 million viewers overall. At 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of last Wednesday's "Heist" premiere averaged a 2.3/6 and 6.0 million viewers overall.

On Tuesday, March 28 at 9 p.m. ET, "Scrubs" (3.5/8 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall) generated NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the time period since the "Scrubs" season premiere on Jan. 3 (excluding Olympics). Versus the same night last year, "Scrubs" was up 17 percent in 18-49 (3.5/8 vs. 3.0/7). "Scrubs" ranked #2 in this competitive time period among adults, men and women 18-34.

Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., the premiere of "Teachers" (3.3/8 in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall) retained 94 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Scrubs" and 99 percent of its total viewership. "Teachers" ranked #2 in its competitive slot among adults, men and women 18-34. The debuting comedy was up 22 percent in adults 18-49 versus NBC's results in the time period on the same night last year (3.3/8 vs. 2.7/6)

At 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: SVU" (5.3/14 in 18-49, 14.2 million viewers overall) locked up its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since Feb. 7. "SVU" won its time period by all key measures and beat the ABC-CBS competition combined among adults 18-34.

On Wednesday, March 29 from 8-9:01 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (5.5/15 in 18-49, 16.2 million viewers overall) scored NBC's top non-Olympic 18-49 rating in this time period in more than five years (since "Ed" on Feb. 14, 2001). In total viewers, it was NBC's highest non-Olympic result in the time period in more than six years (since "Twenty-One" on Jan. 26, 2000). Versus the prior Wednesday, "Deal" was up 8 percent in adults 18-49 (5.5/15 vs. 5.1/14) and up 1.2 million viewers overall (16.2 million vs. 15.0 million). This was the second-highest-rated "Deal or No Deal" to-date in adults 18-49, trailing only the Monday, March 20 telecast (5.6/14).

Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, "Law & Order" delivered a 2.7/6 in 18-49 and 9.3 million viewers in an extremely competitive time slot opposite Fox's "American Idol," ABC's "Lost" and CBS' "Criminal Minds." At 10 p.m. ET, "Heist" averaged a 2.5/7 in 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall.

On Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" (3.7/11 in 18-49, 9.4 million viewers overall) delivered its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since its live telecast on Jan. 12. It was up 23 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's non-sports average in the time period this season (3.7 vs. 3.0). "Will & Grace" ranked #2 in adults 18-49 and #1 among women 18-34 for its time period. At 8:30 p.m. ET, an encore "My Name is Earl" (3.4/9 in 18-49, 8.3 million viewers overall) retained 92 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Will & Grace."

Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (4.5/12 in 18-49, 9.9 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49. At 9:30 p.m. "The Office" (4.0/10 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall) retained 89 percent of its 18-49 lead-in and built on its "Earl" lead-in among adults, men and women 18-34. "The Office" ranked #2 for its time period in adults 18-49. Both "My Name is Earl" and "The Office" ranked #1 in their respective time periods in the elusive demographic of men 18-34.

Thursday at 10 p.m. ET, "ER" (5.5/15 in 18-49, 12.8 million viewers overall) finished within one-tenth of a rating point of first place among adults 18-49 (5.5 vs. a 5.6 for "Without a Trace"), all but erasing a 108 percent lead-in advantage for CBS from the previous half-hour (an 8.3 for CBS from 9:30-10 p.m. vs. a 4.0 for NBC). "ER" ranked #1 for its time period among adults, men and women 18-34 as well as among women 18-49 and women 25-54.

On Friday, March 31, at 8 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (4.1/14 in 18-49, 13.4 million viewers overall) won its time period in 18-49, total viewers and all key measures, scoring NBC's highest 18-49 rating and overall total viewership in the time period in more than four years (since Jan. 11, 2002), excluding Olympics.

"Deal" also delivered the highest non-sports 18-49 rating in this time period for any network in more than three years (since CBS' telecast of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Dec. 13, 2002). "Deal or No Deal" was up 86 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's pre-"Deal" season average for the time period (4.1 vs. 2.2).

At 9 p.m., ET, "Las Vegas" (2.9/9 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) ranked #1 in adults 18-49 as well as in adults and women 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. At 10 p.m., "Conviction" averaged a 2.4/8 in 18-49 and 7.6 million viewers overall.

NBC tied for the nightlong win Friday in 18-49, marking the eighth time in nine weeks and 10th time overall that NBC has finished #1 or tied for #1 on a Friday this season.

On Saturday, April 1 at 8 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (2.0/7 in 18-49, 7.7 million viewers overall) reported NBC's highest non-sports 18-49 rating in this hour in more than a year (since "Law & Order" on Feb. 5, 2005) and largest total viewership also in more than a year (since "Dateline" on March 5, 2005). "Dateline" was up 43 percent versus NBC's non-sports season average for the time period (2.0 vs. 1.4).

Saturday at 9 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: SVU" (2.3/7 in 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) scored NBC's highest non-sports 18-49 rating in the slot since the third Saturday of the season ("My Name is Earl" encores on Oct. 8). This was up 35 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's non-sports season average for the slot (2.3 vs. 1.7). At 10 p.m., an encore telecast of Friday's "Conviction" averaged a 1.9/6 in 18-49 and 6.8 million viewers overall, up 27 percent in 18-49 versus the previous week's Saturday encore (a 1.5/5) and up 46 percent versus two weeks ago (1.3/4).

On Sunday, April 2, at 8 p.m. ET, "The West Wing" (1.9/5 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in from "Dateline NBC" (1.4/5 in 18-49, 5.9 million viewers overall) by 35 percent in 18-49 rating and by 1.4 million viewers overall. At 9 p.m., an encore "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" averaged a 2.0/5 in 18-49 and 7.5 million viewers overall. And at 10 p.m., a rebroadcast of "Crossing Jordan" built on its 18-49 lead-in by 10 percent, delivering a 2.2/5 in 18-49 and 7.5 million viewers overall.