NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 15-21 AND THE 2005-06 SEASON

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 15-21 AND THE 2005-06 SEASON

BURBANK, Calif. � May 23, 2006 � NBC averaged a 3.3 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 9.6 million viewers overall for the week of May 15-21, the last full measured week of the 2005-06 broadcast season, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of May 15-21 in adults 18-49 were Fox (4.6/13), ABC (4.0/11), CBS (3.5/10), NBC (3.3/9), Univision (1.4/4), UPN (1.1/3), WB (0.9/3) and Telemundo (0.3/1). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (12.0 million), Fox (11.0 million), ABC (10.5 million), NBC (9.6 million), Univision (3.3 million), UPN (2.7 million), WB (2.3 million) and Telemundo (0.8 million).

Through 35 full weeks (and with three nights remaining to be measured), primetime averages for all programs for the 2005-06 season in adults 18-49 are Fox (4.0/11), ABC (4.0/11), CBS (3.8/10), NBC (3.3/9), Univision (1.6/4), WB (1.3/4), UPN (1.3/4) and Telemundo (0.4/1). In total viewers, the 2005-06 season averages for all programs are CBS (12.6 million), ABC (10.8 million), Fox (9.9 million), NBC (9.7 million), Univision (3.8 million) WB (3.1 million), UPN (3.1 million) and Telemundo (0.9 million). See below, following the NBC weekly highlights, for selected NBC nightly and program highlights for the 2005-06 season.

Excluding sports, averages for the 2005-06 season through 35 weeks in adults 18-49 are Fox (a 4.0 rating), CBS (3.8), ABC (3.7), NBC (3.1), WB (1.3), and UPN (1.2).

May 2006 sweep averages in adults 18-49 through Sunday, May 21 (25 nights into the 28-night period) are: Fox (4.2/12), CBS (3.7/10), ABC (3.5/10), NBC (3.1/10), UPN (1.2/3) and WB (1.2/3). In total viewers, the 25-night May sweep averages are CBS (12.7 million), Fox (10.0 million), NBC (9.3 million), ABC (9.2 million), WB (2.8 million) and UPN (2.8 million).

NBC highlights for the week of May 15-21:

* Versus the same week last year, NBC was up 10 percent in adult 18-49 rating and 9 percent in total viewers.

* On Thursday, the series finale of "Will & Grace" hit that series' highest 18-49 rating and total viewership in more than two years, winning its hour in 18-49 and other key measures. This marks the first time that a competing program has out-rated an original episode of "CSI" in head-to-head competition in 18-49 in two years. "Will & Grace" was the #1-ranked comedy of the week in both 18-49 and total viewers and among all programs for the week, ranked #6 in 18-49 and #8 in total viewers.

* Also on Thursday, the retrospective special "Will & Grace: Say Goodnight Gracie" won the lead-off hour in adults 18-49 and other key measures, delivering NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the hour since Jan. 20, 2005.

* The season finale of "ER" on Thursday scored the show's highest rating of the 2005-06 campaign, winning its time period convincingly in adults 18-49 and other key measures. "ER" ranked #8 among all programs this week in adults 18-49. NBC won Thursday night in adults 18-49 with its highest non-Olympic Thursday average since Feb. 3, 2005

* On Monday, "Deal or No Deal" hit its biggest Monday numbers in 18-49 and total viewers since April 3 and was up 70 percent in 18-49 versus NBC's regular program season average for the time period.

* On Tuesday, the fifth-season finale of "Scrubs" sewed up that series' highest numbers since March 28 and delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the Tuesday 9:30 p.m. ET half-hour since Feb. 28.

* Also on Tuesday, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" topped its closest competitor, CBS' "The Unit," by 21 percent in adults 18-49 and beat "The Unit" and ABC's "Boston Legal" combined among adults 18-34.

* On Wednesday, the 16th season finale of "Law & Order" hit the show's highest rating since Sept. 28, 2005 and ranked #1 for the time period in adults 18-34, adults 18-49 (tie), adults 25-54 and total viewers. Also, the Wednesday edition of "Deal or No Deal" was #1 by all key measures, posting a 78 percent improvement in 18-49 versus NBC's regular program season average for its slot.

NBC Highlights for the 2005-06 Season

* NBC's freshman comedy "My Name is Earl" emerged from the 2005-06 season as television's #2-ranked comedy and the season's #1 new scripted series in adults 18-49.

* "The Office" was the fastest-growing series on television this season versus last. Having teamed up with "My Name is Earl" and shifted successfully to Thursday night, "The Office" grew by 60 percent this season in adults 18-49 (to an average 4.0 rating from a 2.5 the prior season).

* Since moving to Thursday night, "My Name is Earl" and "The Office" in tandem are television's #1 regularly scheduled comedy hour in originals in adults 18-49.

* "Deal or No Deal," introduced at mid-season, has generated gains of more than 60 percent in adults 18-49 in each of the three time periods in which it has run. "Deal" posted 18-49 increases of 66 percent on Monday, 92 percent on Wednesday and 75 percent on Friday versus prior regular-program averages.

* NBC's Thursday night was the most upscale night on network television during the 2005-06 season, with a 127 index for adults 18-49 living in homes with incomes of $100,000 and more.

* Original episodes of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" finished within a tenth of a rating point of the show's highest season average ever in adults 18-49, giving NBC demographic dominance in the Tuesday 10 p.m. hour during the 2005-06 season.

* "ER" was NBC's #1 series in adults 18-49 this season and has ranked as NBC's #1 drama series in each of its 12 seasons.

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 May 15-21:

On Monday, May 15 from 8:19-10 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (5.1 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49, 16.4 million viewers overall) hit its highest Monday numbers in 18-49 and total viewers since April 3. From 8:30-10 p.m., "Deal" was up by 70 percent in 18-49 rating versus NBC's regular program season average for the time period (5.1 vs. 3.0). From 10-11 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice" averaged a 3.3/8 in 18-49 and 8.0 million viewers overall.

On Tuesday, May 16 at 9 p.m. ET, "Scrubs" (3.1/6 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall) earned its highest rating in this time period in seven weeks (since March 28). It ranked #2 among adults, men and women 18-34. "Scrubs" nearly doubled the 18-49 rating of its lead-in � a 1.6/4 in 18-49 and 3.9 million viewers overall for an encore episode of "Will & Grace" from 8:30-9 p.m.

At 9:30 p.m. ET, the fifth-season finale of "Scrubs" (3.4/6 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall) wrapped up that series' highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since a 9 p.m. telecast on March 28. It was also NBC's highest 18-49 rating in this time period in 11 weeks (since Feb. 28). "Scrubs" ranked #2 in the slot in adults, men and women 18-34.

Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.2/13 in 18-49, 13.0 million viewers overall) controlled the time period in 18-49 and other key measures, beating its nearest competition in 18-49 by 21 percent (5.2 vs. a 4.3 for CBS' "The Unit") and beating the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults 18-34.

On Wednesday, May 17 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Deal or No Deal" (4.1/12 in adults 18-49, 14.0 million viewers overall) was #1 in adults 18-49, total viewers and other key measures. "Deal" was up 78 percent in 18-49 rating versus NBC's regular-program season average for the time period prior to "Deal" (4.1 vs. 2.3). From its first half-hour to its second, "Deal" grew by 37 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 4.8/13 from a 3.5/11).

Also on Wednesday, at 9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" (3.1/7 in 18-49, 9.0 million viewers overall) improved the time period by 48 percent in 18-49 (3.1 vs. 2.1) versus NBC's average in the time period prior to "Dateline" and since "Idol" moved into the 9-9:30 p.m. half-hour on March 15.

At 10 p.m. ET, the 16th season finale of "Law & Order" (4.5/12 in 18-49, 13.6 million viewers overall) captured that series' highest 18-49 rating since Sept. 28, 2005 and highest overall viewership since Feb. 8, 2006. "Law & Order" ranked #1 in adults 18-34, adults 18-49 (tied with "CSI: NY"), adults 25-54 and total viewers. Versus the same night last year, "Law & Order" was up 13 percent in 18-49 (4.5 vs. 4.0).

On Thursday, May 18 from 8-9 p.m. ET, the retrospective special "Will & Grace: Say Goodnight Gracie" (5.3/16 in 18-49, 12.9 million viewers overall) delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating in this time period since Jan. 20, 2005, generating a 71 percent increase on NBC's season average for the slot (5.3 vs. 3.1). The special was #1 in the hour in 18-49 and other key measures.

Thursday from 9-9:59 p.m. ET, the series finale of "Will & Grace" (8.4/21 in 18-49, 18.4 million viewers overall) scored the series' top 18-49 rating and total viewership in more than two years (since April 29, 2004). This was an increase of 140 percent in 18-49 rating (8.4/21 vs. 3.5/10) and 10.2 million total viewers versus last year's season finale.

The "Will & Grace" finale won the time period in 18-49 and other key measures, marking the first time an original episode of "CSI" has been outscored in head-to-head competition in 18-49 in two years (since May 13, 2004, the night of the "Frasier" finale).

Thursday from 9:59-11 p.m. ET, "ER" (7.1/19 in 18-49, 16.6 million viewers overall) closed the season with its highest ratings of the 2005-06 campaign. "ER" won its time period decisively in 18-49 and other key demos, up 37 percent in 18-49 versus its season average (7.1 vs. 5.2)

NBC won Thursday night in adults 18-49 with its highest non-Olympic Thursday average since Feb. 3, 2005

On Friday, May 19 from 8-9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.9/7 in 18-49 and 7.2 million viewers overall. "Dateline" ranked #2 in 18-49 and #1 in total viewers for the time period. From 9-11 p.m. ET, the season finale of "Conviction" averaged a 1.8/6 in 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall.

On Sunday, May 21 from 7-9 p.m. ET, "Dateline NBC" averaged a 1.7/5 in 18-49 and 6.9 million viewers overall. From 9-11 p.m. ET, "10.5: Apocalypse, Part 1" averaged a 2.6/6 in 18-49 and 8.3 million viewers overall. "10.5: Apocalypse, Part 2" will be broadcast Tuesday, May 23 from 9-11 p.m. ET.