NEW YORK -- In a week when people worried more about holiday celebrating than television viewing, CBS rode its "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" franchise to a ratings victory.
Two repeat episodes shown Thursday were among the three most-watched prime-time programs of the week, according to Nielsen Media Research. The spinoff, "CSI: Miami," hit Nielsen's top 10.
In a Sunday-night movie clash, a classic musical trumped action and comedy. ABC drew 11.5 million viewers to "The Sound of Music," while "You've Got Mail" on CBS and "Die Hard With a Vengeance" on Fox both had audiences of 10.3 million at the same time.
For the week, CBS averaged 9.9 million viewers (6.4 rating, 12 share). ABC was second with 8.3 million viewers (5.1, 9), NBC had 8.2 million (5.3, 10), Fox had 7.1 million (4.3, 8), UPN and the WB both had 2.9 million (both 1.8, 3) and Pax TV had 1.1 million (0.8, 1).
NBC's rating was higher than ABC's despite fewer viewers, an indication that more people were watching NBC alone.
NBC's "Nightly News" narrowly won the evening news ratings race, averaging 9.9 million viewers (6.8 rating, 14 share). ABC's "World News Tonight" was second, averaging 9.8 million viewers (6.6, 14), and the "CBS Evening News" had 8.3 million viewers (5.8, 12).
A ratings point represents 1,067,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 106.7 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.
Prime-time ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 23-29. Top 20 listings include the week's ranking, with rating for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses.
An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation. The rating is the percentage of the nation's estimated 106.7 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 1,067,000 households.
1. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 13.0, 13.8 million homes.
2. (9) "NFL Monday Night Football: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay," ABC, 11.6, 12.4 million homes.
3. (X) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" special, CBS, 10.6, 11.3 million homes.
4. (47) "Fox NFL Sunday Post Game: Green Bay at NY Jets-Arizona at Denver," Fox, 9.3, 10.0 million homes.
5. (4) "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 9.0, 9.6 million homes.
6. (2) "Friends," NBC, 8.7, 9.3 million homes.
7. (12) "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," NBC, 8.5, 9.1 million homes.
8. (17) "Without a Trace," CBS, 8.4, 9.0 million homes.
9. (24) "NFL Monday Showcase," ABC, 8.3, 8.8 million homes.
10. (8) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 8.1, 8.7 million homes.
11. (32) "Dateline NBC-Friday," NBC, 7.7, 8.3 million homes.
12. (14) "Still Standing," CBS, 7.4, 8.0 million homes.
13. (18) "60 Minutes," CBS, 7.2, 7.7 million homes.
13. (22) "Yes, Dear," CBS, 7.2, 7.7 million homes.
15. (24) "The King of Queens," CBS, 7.0, 7.5 million homes.
16. (43) "CBS Sunday Movie: You've Got Mail," CBS, 6.9, 7.4 million homes.
17. (X) "Law & Order," NBC, 6.8, 7.3 million homes.
17. (20) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 6.8, 7.2 million homes.
19. (X) "ABC Sunday Night Movie: The Sound of Music," ABC, 6.7, 7.1 million homes.
20. (X) "Fox Movie-Sunday: Die Hard With a Vengeance," Fox, 6.5, 7.0 million homes.
-------------
21. "Scrubs," NBC, 6.4
22. "Becker," CBS, 6.1
22. "The District," CBS, 6.1
24. "Will & Grace," NBC, 5.9
25. "ER," NBC, 5.8
26. "Third Watch," NBC, 5.7
27. "Boomtown," NBC, 5.6
28. "The Agency," CBS, 5.5
28. "Crossing Jordan," NBC, 5.5
28. "Fear Factor," NBC, 5.5
31. "20/20-Friday," ABC, 5.1
31. "Dateline NBC-Sunday," NBC, 5.1
31. (X) "25th Annual Kennedy Center Honors," CBS, 5.1
34. (X) "CBS Wednesday Movie: The Christmas Secret," CBS, 5.0
35. "America's Funniest Home Videos," ABC, 4.9
35. "Good Morning Miami," NBC, 4.9
37. "48 Hours Investigates," CBS, 4.8
37. "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back," Fox, 4.8
37. "Cops 2," Fox, 4.8
37. (X) "JAG," CBS, 4.8
41. "Primetime Thursday," ABC, 4.7
42. "American Dreams," NBC, 4.5
42. (X) "Hack-Saturday," CBS, 4.5
42. (X) "Holiday Hoops: Sacramento at Los Angeles," ABC, 4.5
42. (X) "That '70s Show," Fox, 4.5
46. "Cops," Fox, 4.3
46. (X) "Judging Amy," CBS, 4.3
46. (X) "M-A-S-H Reunion," Fox, 4.3
46. (X) "Rudolph-Christmas," CBS, 4.3
50. (X) "The West Wing," NBC, 4.1
51. "ABC Saturday Night at the Movies: Mrs. Doubtfire," ABC, 3.9
51. (X) "The Guardian," CBS, 3.9
53. (X) "Grounded for Life," Fox, 3.8
53. (X) "Malcolm in the Middle," Fox, 3.8
55. "Monk," ABC, 3.7
55. (X) "NBC Movie of the Week: It's a Wonderful Life," NBC, 3.7
57. (X) "NYPD Blue-Tuesday," ABC, 3.6
58. (X) "8 Simple Rules-Tuesday," ABC, 3.5
58. (X) "According to Jim-Tuesday," ABC, 3.5
58. (X) "Funniest Holiday Moments," Fox, 3.5
61. (X) "The Bernie Mac Show," Fox, 3.4
61. (X) "Sarah Hughes: A Life in Balance," NBC, 3.4
61. "World Wrestling Entertainment Smackdown!" UPN, 3.4
64. (X) "Fear Factor-Saturday," NBC, 3.3
64. "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" ABC, 3.3
66. (X) "Saturday Night Live Christmas '02," NBC, 3.1
67. "The Drew Carey Show," ABC, 2.8
68. (X) "Fox Movie: Anastasia," Fox, 2.7
68. (X) "Less Than Perfect-Tuesday," ABC, 2.7
68. (X) "Life With Bonnie-Tuesday," ABC, 2.7
71. (X) "Fox Movie: Trial & Error," Fox, 2.6
72. "7th Heaven," WB, 2.5
72. "Dinotopia," ABC, 2.5
74. "Charmed," WB, 2.4
75. "Reba," WB, 2.3
76. "One on One," UPN, 2.1
76. "The Parkers," UPN, 2.1
78. (X) "Reba-Christmas," WB, 2.0
78. (X) "Santa Baby," Fox, 2.0
78. "What I Like About You," WB, 2.0
81. "Girlfriends," UPN, 1.9
81. "Greetings From Tucson," WB, 1.9
81. (X) "Return to Middle Earth," WB, 1.9
84. "Everwood," WB, 1.8
84. "Gilmore Girls-Beginnings," WB, 1.8
84. (X) "Sabrina-Christmas," WB, 1.8
87. "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," WB, 1.7
87. "UPN's Movie Friday: Mortal Kombat," UPN, 1.7
89. "Family Affair," WB, 1.6
89. "Half and Half," UPN, 1.6
89. (X) "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment-Christmas," WB, 1.6
92. (X) "Greetings-Christmas," WB, 1.4
92. (X) "Smallville-Christmas Eve," WB, 1.4
94. "Do Over," WB, 1.3
94. (X) "Gilmore Girls-Christmas Eve," WB, 1.3
96. (X) "Enterprise-Wednesday," UPN, 1.2
96. (X) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus-Monday," Pax, 1.2
96. "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment," WB, 1.2
96. "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment 1," WB, 1.2
100. (X) "Candid Camera-Wednesday," Pax, 1.1
101. "Diagnosis Murder-Thursday," Pax, 1.0
101. (X) "The Twilight Zone-Wednesday," UPN, 1.0
103. "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer-Tuesday 2," UPN, 0.9
103. "Friday Night Flix: He Sees You When You're Sleeping," Pax, 0.9
105. "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer-Tuesday 1," UPN, 0.8
105. "Candid Camera-Sunday," Pax, 0.8
105. "Diagnosis Murder-Friday," Pax, 0.8
105. "Doc-Sunday," Pax, 0.8
105. "Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye," Pax, 0.8
110. "It's a Miracle," Pax, 0.7
110. "Just Cause-Sunday," Pax, 0.7
110. "Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye-Monday," Pax, 0.7
113. "America's Favorite Movies: Hooper," Pax, 0.6
113. (X) "Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday," Pax, 0.6
113. (X) "Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday," Pax, 0.6
116. (X) "It's a Miracle-Saturday," Pax, 0.5
117. (X) "Narrow Escapes-Tuesday," Pax, 0.3
On the Net:
Nielsen Media Research Web site: http://www.nielsenmedia.com.
Overcast, 57 ° Humidity: 93%
Have a thought? Go to the 
Visit Augusta.com's 
