TV Ratings : CBS, ‘Home Improvement’ Are Season’s Champions

In the final week of the so-called “official” prime-time season, “Home Improvement” and CBS finished right where they have been for most of the year: on top. “Home Improvement,” the 3-year-old ABC sitcom starring Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson, was the week’s and the season’s most popular series, while CBS was the No. 1 network for the week and the season.

The prime-time season championship was CBS’ third in a row. The network also won the season in daytime and late-night--the first time, CBS said, that a network had for the 30-week season, captured such a Triple Crown.

ABC finished second for the season and boasted that the performance of its new programs was the best of any network since 1979-80, with five new series among the Top 25: “Grace Under Fire,” “NYPD Blue,” “These Friends of Mine,” “Thunder Alley” and “Turning Point.”

CBS, ABC and NBC were also pleased to note that they combined to attract 63% of the viewing audience during prime time, compared to 60% a year ago.

Southland Ratings

Here are A. C. Nielsen’s Top 10 prime-time programs in the Los Angeles area during the same week. Each rating point equals 50,064 households.

Program Station Rating 1. Home Improvement KABC 20.8 2. Seinfeld KNBC 19.8 3. Roseanne KABC 19.2 The Simpsons KTTV 19.2 5. 60 Minutes KCBS 19.1 6. Coach KABC 16.6 7. These Friends of Mine KABC 16.5 8. Frasier KNBC 16.4 9. Hearts Afire KCBS 16.1 10. Home Improvement (8 p.m.) KABC 15.3

Weekly Averages

CBS 11.4

ABC 11.3

NBC 9.7

FOX 6.4

Season to Date

CBS 14.0

ABC 12.4

NBC 11.0

FOX 7.2