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Looking back...Primetime Ratings from the 80's


Paul Raven

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Syndicated ratings Wk 35 ending May 14 1989

1. Wheel of Fortune 13.6  230 stations  99% coverage

2. Jeopardy 12.2   208 stations 97% coverage

3. Cosby Show 10.0  198 stations  97% coverage

4. Star Trek 9.7 232 stations 97% coverage

5. Oprah 8.6 218 stations 99% coverage

6. Wheel of Fortune weekend 8.3 206 stations 93% coverage

7. Current Affair 7.1 149 stations 91% coverage

8. Entertainment Tonight 6.9 169 stations 93% coverage

9. Geraldo 6.1 200 stations 99% coverage

10. Donahue 6.0 226 stations 98% coverage

11. People's Court 6.0 186 stations 94% coverage

12. Friday the 13th 5.7 216 stations 96% coverage

13. Star Search 5.7 149 stations 96% coverage

14. War of the Worlds 5.6 221 stations 95% coverage

15. Mama's Family 5.4 196 stations 93% coverage

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Wk 1 85/86 Season. Note that some series had their premieres the previous week.

Shows yet to debut

CBS

Crazy Like A Fox

Trapper John MD

Kate & Allie

Newhart

Cagney & Lacey

Simon & Simon

Falcon Crest

 

NBC

Silver Spoons

Riptide

Misfits of Science

 

ABC

Benson

The Colbys

 

1. The Cosby Show NBC 31.6/48

2. Family Ties NBC 29.6/45

3. Dynasty ABC 28.1/42

4. Cheers NBC 26.0/39

5. Amos CBS 24.5/37

6. Murder, She Wrote CBS 24.4/37

7. Dallas CBS 23.9/38

8. Miami Vice NBC 23.237

9. Night Court NBC 22.9/34

10. 60 Minutes CBS 222/38

11. Family Ties Vacation NBC 22.1/33

12. Amazing Stories NBC 22.0/34

13. Knots Landing CBS 21.8/34

14. Hotel ABC 21.3/35

15. Highway to Heaven NBC 20.9/33

16, First Blood NBC 20.9/31

17. Who's the Boss? ABC 20.4/33

18. Alfred Hitchcock NBC 20.2/30

19. A Team NBC 20.0/31

20. Golden Girls NBC 19.0/32

21. Growing Pains ABC 18.5/28

22. Remington Steele NBC 18.0/30

23. Hill Street, Blues NBC 18.0/28

24. Izzy & Moe CBS 17.9/27

25. Football, LA. Rams -Seattle ABC 17.9/29

26. Twilight Zone CBS 17.7/30

27. Moonlighting ABC 17.6/27

28. Facts of Life  NBC 17.5/30

29. Magnum, CBS 17.4/26

30. Scarecrow & Mrs. King CBS 17.4/26

31. TV Bloopers & Prac. Jokes  NBC 17.2/26

32. Football, Sun. 7 -7:18 p.m. NBC 16.8/31

33.Tootsie ABC 18.0/25

34. Nat. Lampoon -Vacation CBS 15.6/27

35. 227  NBC 15.6/26

36.  Helltown NBC 15.1/22

37. The Insiders ABC 14.9/24

38. Gimme A Break NBC 14.8/27

39. Hardcastle & McCormick    ABC 14.8/23

40. 20/20  ABC 14.6/23

41. Equalizer CBS 14.3/23

42. Knight Rider NBC 14.1/24

43. Hunter NBC 14.0/25

43.Webster ABC 13.8/24

44.St. Elsewhere NBC 13.8/23  

45. The Other Lover CBS 13.8/22   

46. Love Boat ABC 12.8/22   

47. Lime Street ABC 12.3/21

48. Alrwolf CBS 12.0/21

49. NFL Post -game NBC 11.7/22 

50. Our Family Honor ABC 11.7/20 

51. Mr. Belvedere ABC 11.8/19 

52. Lady Blue  ABC 11.4/17 

53. MacGyver ABC 10.9/17 

54. George Burns Comedy CBS 10.8/16   

55. Punky Brewster NBC 10.5/18  

56. Charlie & Co. CBS 10.5/16 

57. Hollywood Beat ABC 9.1/16 

58. Stir Crazy CBS 9.0/14 

59. Diffrent Strokes ABC 9.0/14 

60. Ripley's Believe It or Not ABC 8.6/15

61. Hometown ABC 7.9/12

62.Fall Guy ABC 7.9/12

63.Spenser: For Hire ABC 6.3/10 

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Wk 3

World Series baseball on NBC pre-empted Tues,Wed and Fri and early Sun night programming.

Presidential debates were on Thurs from 9.

The Burning Bed starred Farrah Fawcett and was NBC's Monday movie.

  1. The Burning Bed NBC 38.2/52

  2. World Series- Sunday NBC 29.7/49

  3. World Series -Tuesday NBC 27.7/44

  4. World Series- Wednesday NBC 28.0/40

  5. Dynasty ABC 25.1/38

  6. World Series post -Sunday NBC 24.8/40

  7. Dallas CBS 24.0/37

  8. World Series -Friday NBC 21.5/35

  9. Bill Cosby Show NBC 20.8/33

  10. Magnum, P.I. CBS 20.3/32

  11. Single Bars & Single Women ABC 20.0/31

  12. Murder, She Wrote CBS 19.4/29

  13. Knight Rider NBC 19.3/28

  14. Hotel ABC 19.2/30

  15. Family Ties NBC 19.1/30

  16. Fall Guy ABC 18.8/29

  17. Falcon Crest CBS 18.5/30

  18. World Series pre -Tuesday NBC 18.2/31

  19. Jefferson CBS 17.9/28

  20. TV Bloopers & Practical JokesNBC 17.8/27

  21. Alice CBS 17.0/28

  22. Scarecrow & Mrs. King CBS 18.9/25

  23. V: The Final Battle NBC 18.8/28

  24. Scorned and Swindled CBS 18.7/28

  25. Trapper John, M.D. CBS 16.8/28

  26. Love Boat ABC 16.3128

  27. Benson ABC 16.2/28

  28. World Serles pre -Wed NBC 15.5/27

  29. Country Music Awards CBS 15.5/23

  30. Three's A Crowd ABC 15.4/23

  31. Webster ABC 16.2/25

  32. Dlffrent Strokes NBC 14.9/27

  33. Gimme A Break NBC 14.6/26

  34. 49ers vo. Giants ABC 14.8/23

  35. 60 Minutes CBS 14.5/23

  36. Matt Houston ABC 14.4/23

  37. FoulUps, Bleeps, Bleeps & Blunders ABC 14.3/23

  38. Kate & Allie CBS 14.2/20

  39. Hardcastle & McCormick ABC 14.1/21

  40. VP debate analysis CBS 14.0/23

  41. Call to Glory ABC 14.0/21

  42. World Series pre -Friday NBC 13.7/25

  43. Charles in Charge CBS 13.2/21

  44. Partners in Crime NBC 13.0/23

  45. Finder of Lost bares ABC 122/24

  46. Mike Hammer CBS 12.9/23

  47. AfterMASH CBS 12.8/20

  48. E/R CBS 12.8/19

  49. Paper Dolls ABC 12.7/19

  50. T.J. Hooker ABC 12.5/23

  51. Dukes of Hazzard CBS 12.4/21

  52. VP debate analysis ABC 12.4/21

  53. Cover -Up CBS 12.1/22

  54. Airwolf CBS 11.922

  55. VP debate analysis NBC 11.9/20

  56. Hawaiian Heat ABC 11.8/18

  57. Dreams CBS 112/17

  58. Attack on Fear CBS 10.9/18

  59. Jessie ABC 10.6/17

  60. Ripley/'s Believe It Or Not ABC 9.5/15

  61. NFL ibotball CBS 9.2/18

  62. 20/20 ABC 8.8/14

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Wk 4 

Pretty much regular programming and trends emerging.

CBS domination of Thursday shows first signs of crumbling as NBC led by Cosby begins to win 8-10 timeslots beating Magnum and Simon Simon in the following weeks.

CBS Sunday 9-11 Alice/Jeffersons/Trapper John don't hold Murder She Wrote leadin and are weaker up against movies.

NBC leading Tuesdays lead by A Team.

ABC weakening on Sat as Love Boat declines. 

      1. Dynasty ABC 26.1/40

  1. Dallas CBS 24.8/40 24.

  2. A Team NBC 24.3/38

  3. Hotel ABC 22.5/38

  4. Cagney & Lacey CBS 21.6/34

  5. 60 Minutes CBS 21.4/35

  6. Cosby Show NBC 21.3/34

  7. Simon & Simon CBS 21.2/32

  8. Newhart CBS 21.0/31

  9. Riptide NBC 20.8433

  10. Magnum, PI. CBS 26.3/32

  11. Kate & Allie CRS 20.029

  12. Knot's Landing CBS 19.7/33

  13. Falcon Crest CBS 19.4/33

  14. Family Ties NBC 19.3/29

  15. Fall Guy ABC 19.2431

  16. Cheers NBC 18.6/28

  17. His Mistress NBC 18.3/31

  18. Remington Steele NBC 17.6/30

  19. Jefferson CBS 17.3/26

  20. Scarecrow C Mrs. King 0138 17.0/26

  21. 'IV Bloopers and Prac. Jokes NBC 16.9/26

  22. Hill St Blues NBC 16.7/28

  23. V The Final Battle Pt 2 16.7/26

  24. Green Bay vs. Denver ABC 16.5/28

  25. Love Boat ABC 16.2/28

  26. Night Court NBC 16.2/25

  27. Highway to Heaven NBC 16.1/26

  28. Webster ABC 16.0/27

  29. Trapper John, M.D. CBS 16.0/26

  30. Cover Up CBS 15.8/29

  31. New Orleans vs. Dallas ABC 15.3/31

  32. Facts of Life NBC 15.0/23

  33. Benson ABC 14.7/26

  34. NFL (Sunday,7 -7:30) NBC 14.3/26

  35. Gimme a Break NBC 14.1 /25

  36. Finder of Lost Loves ABC 14.1/25

  37. Sentimental Journey CBS 14.0/23

  38. Three's a Crowd ABC 14.0/22

  39. 20/20 ABC 13.8/23

  40. Paper Dolls ABC 13.6/21

  41. World's Greatest Mysteries ABC 13.6/21

  42. Miami Vice NBC 13.5/23

  43. V The Final Battle NBC 13.4/23

  44. Foul Ups, Bleeps and Blunders 13.4/22

  45. Diffrent Strokes NBC 13.3/24

  46. Mike Hammer `CBS 13.3/23

  47. It'sYour Move NBC 13.3/21

  48. Grease ABC 12.9/20

  49. T.J. Hooker ABC 12.8/23

  50. St. Elsewhere NBC 12.7/21

  51. Dukes of Hazzard CBS 12.6/22

  52. Jessie ABC 12.2/21

  53. Nairobi Affair CBS 12.2/20

  54. Matt Houston ABC 11.9/20

  55. Charles in Charge CBS 11.8/19

  56. Partners in Crime NBC 11.8/20

  57. Airwolf CBS 11.3/20

  58. Hawaiin Heat ABC 11.1/18

  59. Punky Brewster NBC 9.9/16 61.

  60. Ripley's Believe It or Not ABC 9.4/16

  61. Dreams CBS 9.4/15 1 63.

  62. AfterMASH 0138 9.3/1 64.

  63. E/R CBS 8.9/14

  64. Hot Pursuit NBC 8.8/16

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