The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 83

F11 LOS ANGELES TIMES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2000 TODAY ON TV Prime-Time TV Rankings 'Frasier' Hits Home Run; Fox Bunts Its Way to Win 11:00 a.m. HIST Weapons at War (TVG) IFC "Othello" '521hr33 7759344919:151 LIFE Murphy Brown MTV Music Videos (TVPG) NICK Little Bear 528361 SCI-FI The Sentinel (TVPG) SHOW "The Whales of August" '87 1hr30 6483739 TBS Matlock TIC A Baby Story (TVPG) TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNT ER (TVPG) USA Something So Right (TVPG) DISN Bear in the Big Blue House El Talk Soup ITVPG-0) 150791 ESPN2 BodyShaping FAM Two of a Kind TVG) FNC NewsQuinn FSN National Sports Report FSN2 The Method FX MASH (TVPG) HBO Babar(TVY) HGTV Room by Room IFC "The Story of Qiu Ju" '92 IPG) 1hr40 8014555 LIFE Denise Austin's Daily Workout MTV MTV Jams (TVPG) NICK Hey Arnold! 536081 TLC Nini's Treehouse "Spin City" yielded 14 of viewers watching "The Drew Carey Show" in the preceding half-hour, as Martin is clearly getting the better of Charlie in the Wednesday-night war of the Sheens. General Electric Chairman Jack Welch also engaged in a bit of civil warfare, giving an exclusive interview to CBS' "60 Minutes," which more than doubled the audience for G.E.-owned NBC's "Dateline" in the same hour Sunday. NBC's new drama "Ed," however, did rebound to score solid ratings at 8 p.m. CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" also continues to draw impressive numbers on Fridays, where UPN got off to a mild start with the debut of the new action shows "Freedom" and "Level 9." BRIAN LOWRY Fox was left with only a small token to show for the subway World Series, which attracted record-low tune-in but nevertheless hoisted the network to a narrow first-place finish for the week, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.

NBC's Thursday lineup lost some steam against the deciding Game 5, while "Must-See TV" mainstay "Frasier," starring Kelsey Grammer, began its eighth season by delivering its largest season-premiere audience ever despite moving back to Tuesday nights. ABC, meanwhile, is springing leaks. Its new drama "Gideon's Crossing" was manhandled by "Law Order," "The Geena Davis Show" didn't exhibit legs against the hourlong "Frasier," and National Nielsen Viewershlp 9:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. KCBS The Young and the Restless ITV1 4 57555 El KNBC News El KTLA Judge Mills Lane fl KABC 1 3 KEYT Port Charles (TVPG-LI 72604 El KCAL Moral Court (TVPG) ED KTTV Queen Latifah 33913 IB KCOP Ricki Lake 16371 03 KWHY "Sendero Equivocado" 2hr 642449 KVCR More Than Memories 50 KCET Noddy (TVY) 43333 KMEX DKDA (TVPG) I36I KMIR The People's Court C3 KTBN James Robison 42 KESQ Montel Williams 70159 BO KDOC Southland Today BO KLCS Taxes in U.S.

History; Special Programming (11:20) Magnum, P.I. CNBC Street Signs COM Win Ben Stein's Money CSPN Public Affairs DSC Lynette Jennings Design DISN Winnie the Pooh (TVY) ESPN Inside the PGA Tour ESPN2 NBA Inside Stuff 7687555 FAM It's Itsy Bitsy Time (TVY) FX Beverly Hills, 90210 HBO "Big Daddy" '99(PG-13 1hr35 50134371 (11:15) HGTV The Carol Duvall Show HIST True Action Adventures (TVG) LIFE Unsolved Mysteries (TVPG) MTV Choose or Lose 2000: Town Hall Forum with Al Gore NICK Dora the Explorer 209265 SCI-FI Space: Above and Beyond TBS "Winter Kill" 74 2hr05 28593555 TLC A Wedding Story TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNT "Time Runner" '92 (R) 2hr 867604 USA Wings (TVPG-D) VH1 Music Videos (TVPG) El KCAL To Tell the Truth DO KTTV Divorce Court (TVPG) 50 KCET Between the Lions (TVY) (R) 81 178 E3 KTBN Unfolding Majesty With Dean Mary Brown S3 KDOC Benny Hinn BET AM at BET 165284 CNN Burden of Proof 383826 DISN Out of the Box (TVY) Mysteries Scandals ESPN2 RPM 2Night FAM CBN Special Edition 916178 FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion HBO "The Winslow Boy" '99(G)1hr44 7053277 HGTV Appraise It! LIFE Murphy Brown NICK Blue's Clues TLC A Baby Story (TVPG) 1hr41 USA Hearts Afire (TVPG) Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Oct. 23-29) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. They are based on the average number of people who watched a program from start to finish. Nielsen estimates that there are 260 million potential U.S.

viewers age 2 and older. Viewership is listed here in millions. CHANNELS Los Angeles EB KVEA (Tele 23 Orange County ES KDOC (Ind 56 HKCBS ICBSI02 DKNBCINBCI04 BD KLCS (Edu 17 E) KTLA (WB) 05 G2 KRCA lnd. 20 BKABCABC)07 Springs 0KCALlnd.O9 36 KMIfl NBC 04 QlKnV(Fox11 K2KESQABC7. EKC0PIUPNI13 25 iBKSCI (tnd)18 0D KCET (PBS) 28 HD KPXN (PAX) 30 San Bernardino HlKMEXUni.14 2 KVCR (PBS) 24 EH KTBN (Ind.) 40 Ventura County SO KOCE (PBS) 50 JKADY(UPN16 Cable Services 39 ESPN2 84 NICK 38 AMC 35 FAM 47 SCI-FI 87 BET 57 FNC 91 SHOW 41 BRVO 54 FSN 27 SUND 3g CNBC 31 FSN2 59 43 COM 79 FX 89 jpu op CSPN 29 HBO 33 ip CMAX 45 HIST 30 1.

CNN 42 HGTV 80 DSC 37 IFC 21 49 OISN 53 UFE 46 TNT 52 63 MSNBC 90 USA 44 ESPN 34 MTV 48 VHt 62 Use numbers after call letters to set VCR Plus. Where there are two numbers, repeat the procedure. (R) In the grid, denotes a repeat program. TV RATINGS TVY) All Children (TVY7) Directed to Older Children (TVY7-FV) Directed to Older Children; FantasyViolence (TVGI General Audience (TVPGI Parental Guidance (TV1 4 Parents Strongly Cautioned (TVMAI Mature Audiences Only D) Suggestive Dialogue (L) Coarse Language (S) Sex (V) Violence Movie Ratings A CLASSIC FIRST RATE FLAWED: HAS MOMENTS DESPERATION TIME Morning Program Nit- View-Program work 109. Hype WB 3.13 110.

Level 9 UPN 3.11 111. Nikkl(fn) WB 309 112. for Your Love WB 3 06 113. PJs WB 304 114. GrossePointe WB 286 115.

Niklu (Sun WB 2.81 116. The Inspectors" UPN 1.86 9r SJ; 10:00 a.m. KCAL Bewitched (TVGI KCOP 63! KADY Sabrina, the Animated Series 67420 K4I KVCR Austin City Limits (TVG) 50 KCET Dragon Tales (TVY) 54536 EH KTBN Kenneth Copeland KOCE School of Fine Art BD KLCS Adventures From the Book of Virtues 72994 KRCA Cine AMC "Lifeboat" '44 1hr45 Northern Exposure ITVPG) BET Amazing Facts BRVO Bravo Profiles (TVPG) CMAX "The Outlaw Josey Wales" '76 (PGI 97196028 (8:15) CNN In the Money COM IPG-13) 6293791 DISN Bear in the Big Blue House El FashionTelevision ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NBA Fantastic Series FAM Angela Anaconda (TVY7) FSN2 Yoga Zone FX MASH (TVPG) HBO "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol" '87 IPG) 1hr27 622913 HGTV TIPical Mary Ellen HIST Civil War Journal (TVG) LIFE Designing Women (TVPG-DI MTV TRL (TVPGI NICK The Wild Thornberrys (TVY) SCI-FI Sightings (TVPG) TBS Mama's Family TCM "Love Me or Leave Me" '55 2hr02 2299352 TLC Salty's Lighthouse (TVY) TMC "Red Sun" '71 (PG) 1hr55 7612739 TNT Lois Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TVPGI USA Carol Burnett and Friends Cable Top 10 Here are Nielsen's top 10 cable programs in prime time last week, also ranked by total viewers (in millions). fck 11:30 a.m. Kelsey Grammer Net- Vie work Mt Net- Vkn- ProgriH work en 1.

Sunday Night Football ESPN 8 24 2. Wrestling 10 p.m.) INN 711 3. Wrestling (Mon, 9 pm. TNN 6.10 4. NFLPnmetime ESPN 4.87 5.

"Spawn" TBS 4.30 6. As Told by Ginger NICK 3.32 7. Sex and the City (9 30 p.m.) HBO 330 8. Sex and the City HBO 3.09 9. "House on Haunted Hill" HBO 308 10.

Rocket Power NtCK 3.04 7:00 a.m. Network Averages Here is the number of viewers that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. 8:30 a.m. 1. Frasier NBC 28.64 2.

ER NBC 26.09 3. Friends NBC 22.66 4. Millionaire (Sun.) ABC 20.23 5. Every. Loves Raymond CBS 19.64 6.

World Series, Game 5 FOX 18.93 7. The Practice ABC 18.50 8. 60 Minutes CBS 17.89 9. Cursed NBC 17.85 10. Millionaire (Tue.) ABC 17.77 11.

Wo Series, Game 4 FOX 17.61 12. Will Grace NBC 17.54 13. Millionaire (Wed ABC 17.46 14. WorM Series, Game 3 FOX 17 45 15. Monday Night Football ABC 17.39 16.

Trie West Wing NBC 17.12 17. Becker C8S 1700 18. taw Order NBC 16.67 19. Millionaire (Thur.) ABC 1630 20. Touched by an Angel CBS 16.23 21.

Just Shoot Me NBC 15.81 22. Dateline NBC (Tue.) NBC 15.60 23. Judging Amy CBS 14.92 24. CSI CBS 14.89 25. Boston Public FOX 1392 26.

The last Dance" CBS 13.72 27. King ol Queens CBS 13 71 28. The District CBS 13.49 29. Family Law CBS 13.31 30. Yes.

Dear CBS 13.23 Ally McBeal FOX 13.23 32. Law 4 Order SVU NBC 13.21 33. The Michael Richards Show NBC 13.19 34. Drew Carey Show ABC 13.10 35. 3rd Rock From the Sun NBC 12 58 36 JAG CBS 12.37 37.

Ed NBC 1225 38 Bene CBS 1207 39. Nash Bridges CBS 11.84 40. Providence NBC 1182 41. "Casper" ABC 11.66 42. "One True Love" CBS 11.54 43.

Spin City ABC 11.27 44. World Series Pregame 3 FOX 11.22 45. 2020 Downtown ABC 11.19 46. The Simpsons FOX 1111 47. Dateline NBC (Fri.) NBC 10 80 48.

Third Watch NBC 1048 49. ABC 1028 50. Malcolm hi the Middle FOX 985 51. 2020 (Fii.) ABC 955 52. "Mavenck" NBC 9.49 53.

Walker, Texas Ranger CBS 936 64. Whose Line Is It? (8:30 p.m.) ABC 9.29 55. Welcome to New York CBS 925 56. World Seres Pregame 4 FOX 921 57. 48 Hours CBS 909 58.

Once and Again ABC 900 59 Work) Series Pregame 5 FOX 893 60. The Fugitive CBS 883 61. Pnmehme Thursday ABC 8.65 62. Gideon's Crossing ABC 861 63. Dateline NBC (Sun.) NBC 8.49 64.

60 Minutes II CBS 8.48 131 KEYT News a KTLA The Nanny (TVPG) KABC News DO KSCI Taiwan News 1241 KVCR Kaye's Quilting Friends 50 KCET Teletubbies ITVY) 44062 CD KTBN Benny Hmn BO KDOC Headline News BD KLCS Teen Issues; Teen Issues (11:45) 63I KADY The Cosby Show BET 106th Park: BET Top 10 Live COM Win Ben Stein's Money (TVPGI DISN Otter ITVY) ESPN Inside the Senior PGA Tour ESPN2 Soccer- UEFA Champions League: Panathinaikos FC vs. DePortivo La Coruna. 2562772 FAM It's Itsy Bitsy Time (TVY) HGTV Simply Quilts HIST Great Blunders in History NICK Maggie Ferocious Beast SUND 14 Up in America (TV14-LI 11:35 TLC A Wedding Story TMC "Ballad of a Gunfighter" '99 (PG-131hr35 4164555 USA Wings (TVPG-D) Afternoon KCBS The Price Is Right (TVGI 1 3 1 KEYT Martha Stewart Living KNBC Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus 391 59 El KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael (TVPG) 82265 tM KABC 42! KESQ The View 77333 El KCAL Judge Mathis (TVPG) Dl KTTV Power of Attorney DO KCOP Montel Williams 52997 KWHY Hablame de Amor KVCR Creative Living 50 KCET Sesame Street 76333 KMEX Marta Susana 52979 36i KMIR Dr. Laura 981517 EH KTBN Behind the Scenes KVEA "Caminero" '87 2hr 50284 KLCS Working Together: Interactions: Real Math, Real Careers (10:15) KRCA Cine AMC "Arrowhead" '53 2hr 101284 Murder. She Wrote BRVO "Howards End" '92 PG3hr 893739 CNN CNN Today COM The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (TVPGI 62031 78 DSC Home Matters (TVG) DISN RoliePolie Olie (TVY) El The True Hollywood Story (TVPGI "Alfred Hitchcock" 374284 ESPN Racehorse Digest ESPN2 Auto Racing- Dayton Indy Lights Series.

2928468 FAM The 700 Club FSN2 The Method FX Beverly Hills. 90210 (TVPGI HGTV At the Auction HIST 20th Century (TVPG) LIFE Golden Girls MTV Music Videos (TVPG) NICK Little Bill 816739 SCI-FI Dark Shadows 6337994 SUND "Trans" '981hr20 TBS Hunter TLC A Dating Story (TVG) TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNTERITV14) USA Jesse (TVPG) VH1 New Videos (TVPGI Utt Saawa week to date FOX 12.89 million 10.48 NBC 12.82 12.19 CBS 12.26 12.70 ABC 11.82 13.03 WB 4.64 4.38 UPN 4.07 4.45 65. Diagnosis Murder CBS 8.40 66. Cops (8:30 pm.) FOX 8.18 67. 7th Heaven WB 8.10 68.

"World's Scariest Ghosts" ABC 800 69. KwgoltheHII FOX 7 90 70. The Geena Davis Show ABC 7.85 71. Cops (9 pm.) FOX 7 59 72. Titans NBC 7.57 73.

Cups FOX 753 74. Whose Line Is It? ABC 7.34 75. Cops (9:30 FOX 7.31 76. TheX-Files FOX 727 77. WWf Smackdown! UPN 7.22 78.

City ot Angels CBS 7.09 79 Deadline NBC 698 80. "The Relic" NBC 6.78 81. Futurama FOX 6.77 82 Two Guys and a Girl ABC 672 83. That's Life CBS 6.67 84. Charmed WB 6.53 85.

Butty, the Vampire Slayer WB 6.41 86. MadlganMen ABC 6.14 87. Norm ABC 6.12 88. Trouble With Normal ABC 3.80 89. "Vampire in Brooklyn" ABC 5.67 90.

Angel WB 5.40 91. Dawson's Creek WB 5.04 92 Daddio NBC 503 93. RosweH WB 501 94. Star Trek Voyager UPN 4.97 95. TheHughleys UPN 4.32 96.

Sabrtna, the Teenage Witch WB 4.15 97. Gilmore Gilts WB 393 98. Tucker NBC 3.87 99. Freaklyllnks FOX 384 100. Felicity WB 3.83 101.

The Parkers UPN 380 102. Sabnna.Teen WB 3.72 103. Freedom UPN 358 104 7 Days UPN 3 49 105. Moesha UPN 3.46 106. The Steve Harvey Show WB 3.26 107.

Girlfriends UPN 3.15 108. The Jamie Fon Show we 3.14 El KCAL I Dream of Jeannie fB KCOP 63) KADY Pepper Ann 50 KCET Arthur (TVY) 53807 BD KPXN James Robison HO KTBN Laverne and Edith Tripp BO KOCE Teletubbies 472265 BO KLCS Cursive Handwriting; Phonics in Context (8.45) BET Peter Popoff DISN Winnie the Pooh (TVY) El Fashion Emergency (TVGI ESPN2 NBA 2Night FAM Kids From Room 402 (TVY7) 288807 FSN Regional Sports Report FX MASH (TVPGI HGTV Smart Solutions LIFE Designing Women (TVPG-D) NICK Rugrats 728569 SUND "A Friend of the Deceased" '97 (R) 1hr45 2970975 TBS Cosby (TVG) TLC Skinnamarink TV (TVY) USA Carol Burnett and Friends Southland Viewing Here are Nielsen's Top 10 prime-time programs in the Los Angeles area during the same week. The rankings are based on the number of households watching. Noon KCBS The Early Show 58284 KNBC 361 KMIR Today 728623 a KTLA Morning News 63130 KABCI3I KEYTI42I KESQ Good Morning America 98826 03 KTTV Good Day A 34642 IB KCOP 63) KADY Buzz Lightyear of Star Command 95888 KWHYBi2birije20130 24 KVCR Introduction to Sociology BO KCET Zoboomafoo 91642 EH KPXN Employment Television EJ KMEX iDespierta America! H3 KTBN Rod Parsley HD KOCE Inside Statistics KVEA Esta Mahana Si KJLALuke BD KLCS Learning English ffl KRCA Nubeluz TVY) 47772 "The Crossing" '00 Ihr BET Feed the Children CNBC Market Watch 80212 CSPN Public Affairs DISN RoliePolie Olie(TVY) ElEINews Daily 171284 ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 Kiana's Flex Appeal FAM The Adventures of Mary-Kate Ashley (TVY) FSN Regional Sports Report FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion FX MASH (TVPG) HBO The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures (TVY) HGTV Decorating With Style HIST The Real West (TVG) LIFE Denise Austin's Fit Lite MSNBC Decision 2000: The Last Mile 3055623 NICK CatDog 524246 SCI-FI Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TVG) SHOW "Tourist Trap" 79 (PG) 1hr25 46021284 (7:15) TBS Little House on the Prairie TIC Jay Jay the Jet Plane (TVY) TNT CHiPs (TVPG) VH1 Music Videos (TVPG) 9:00 a.m. Sta- Houk- Progrim Hon hokll 1.

Frasier KNBC 1,113,944 2. World Series Posbjame 5 KTTV 1.006.834 3. Friends KNBC 980.057 4. The West Wing KNBC 878,302 5 ER KNBC 856.880 6. Witt Grace KNBC 808.681 7.

Law Order KNBC 797.970 8. Cursed KNBC 733,704 9. 60 Minutes KCBS 717,637 10. Just Shoot Me KNBC 685,504 10:30 a.m. Lowry El KCBS Woman 2 Woman 94888 KNBC Access Hollywood 12284 El KTLA Little House KABC! 3 1 KEYT All My Children (TVPG) 75265 EI KCAL News ED KTTV Judge Hatchett 33449 EB KCOP Maury (TV14) 17913 LTD KSCI Mandarin Drama 24i KVCR QuiltingHeartland 50 KCET Caillou (TVY) 57623 36 KMIR Real TV DO KTBN The 700 Club 42 KESQ News KVEA Cotorreando 53371 BD KDOC Perry Mason (TVPG-V) BD KLCS In Focus GB KRCA Noticias S3I KADY Bloomberg Television AMC "The Nutty Professor" '63 2hr 270913 Night Court CMAX "Forgotten City" '98 (R)1hr37 CNN TalkBack Live 373449 COM Saturday Night Live (TV1 4) DSC Christopher Lowell (TVG) DISN Out of the Box (TVY) El Celebrity Profile (TVPG) ESPN Skateboarding FAM Brazelton on Parenting (TVGI FNC NewsSmith FSN Pro Hockey-Kings at Columbus.

(Tape) 726197 FX "Baby's Day Out" '94 (PG) 2hr 9512401 HGTV Decorating With Style Please see TV LOG F12 fl KCBS Martha Stewart 27401 El KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael (TV14I 98913 KABCI3) KEYT42 KESQ Live! With Regis 83081 El KCAL Family Feud DDI KTTV Divorce Court (TVPG) EH KCOP Maury 54517 D3 KSCI I Can Do It! 03 KWHY Ellas. Inocentes Culpables 24 KVCR Sesame Street 98517 50 KCET Barney (TVY) 44159 EH KTBN Dr. Cherry BD KOCE Instructional TV KVEA Cambia Tu Vida con Padre Alberto BO KDOC Life in the Word BO KLCS Geometry in My World LA Law BET Amen BRVO St. Elsewhere CNBC Power Lunch 75130 CNN Newsday DSC Assignment Discovery (TVG) DISN Otter (TVY) Celebrity Homes ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NFL 2Night 4170410 FAM It's Itsy Bitsy Time (TVY) FNC NewsAsman FSN Sports Geniuses FXNYPD Blue (TV14) HGTV Appraisal Fair 1 ED KTTV Power of Attorney KVCR HomeFix ED KTBN Casey Treat BD KDOC New Zoo Revue 496523 BO KLCS World of Work; 3-2-1 Classroom Contact (1 0:45) BET OH Drama! Voting. 420623 CMAX "Home Alone" '90 (PG1hr43 2008739 COM Whose Line Is It Anyway? DISN Bear in the Big Blue House ESPN America's Horse FNC NewsVester FSN2 Yoga Zone HGTV Collectible Treasures IFC "Ship of Fools" '65 2hr30 LIFE Golden Girls NICK Franklin 128325 SCI-FI Crossing Over With John Edward (TVPGI SHOW "Chilly Scenes of Winter" '79 IPG) 24991739 (10:45) TCM "The Loved One" '65 1hr56 2287517 TLC A Dating Story (TVG) USA Ned and Stacey (TVPG-D) 7:30 a.m.

la. "If'Vi li. KCAL Beakman's World 39197 LB KC0P63I KADY Recess BD KSCI Iran-Sima (Farsi) 71739 '24I KVCR Introduction to Sociology BD KCET Clifford the Big Red Dog (TVY) 8449 CD KTBN Marilyn Hickey SO KOCE Sew Young. Sew Fun S3 KDOC Hollywood Plaza BO KLCS Clifford the Big Red Dog KRCA Chespirito BET Bill Winston RADIO MARIA MELIN In the new TV season, the audience for ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" has fallen 30, with a heavy loss among younger viewers. Radio Station Guide All stations AM unless otherwise noted MUSIC: COUNTRY MUSIC: ADULT CONTEMPORARY K7.LAFM ...93.9 RELIGIOUS KBRT 740 KFRN 1280 KFSG-FM 96 3 9 KKLA-FM .995 KIFX 1390 KPfC 1240 KISJ 1220 KTYM 1460 KWVEFM .107 9 FAMILY KDIS 710 FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH Continued from Fl story within executive suites during the new television season, in fact, has focused on the graying of ABC's audience almost entirely due to what once appeared to be the network's savior, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The rap on game shows in industry circles has always been they attract an older audience including such popular franchises as "Wheel of Fortune," "Jeopardy!" and "The Price is Right" meaning such programs are less lucrative and desirable to advertisers than series with a smaller overall audience reaching more young adults.

In its initial stages, "Millionaire" stunningly bucked that trend reeling in hordes of kids, teenagers and adults under the age of 35. The show was such a juggernaut last spring ABC opted to expand it to four weekly editions. As the new TV season began, Jessica Rcif Cohen, a Merrill Lynch analyst who tracks entertainment stocks, estimated "Millionaire" could become prime time's first 6i7on-dollar show, calculating potential revenue from 200 episodes (remember, it plays four times a week, compared with one "KR" or over an entire calendar year. For ABC parent Disney, a not-so-funny thing happened on the way to the bank. Viewing of "Millionaire" has dropped roughly 30 compared with last season, and most significantly from a financial standpoint the show's younger audience is jumping ship even faster.

All of this has led to gleeful talk by the other networks regarding median viewer age referring to a program's audience midpoint, meaning an equal number of viewers falls above and below that line. NBC has led this charge, noting that although overall viewing is down for its revised "Must-See TV" schedule, the programs are skewing younger than a year ago, meaning a higher percentage of "Will Grace" viewers are in their 20s and 30s than was the case with former Thursday anchor "Frasier." Even CBS long caricatured as network TV's resident Methuselahjoined in the chorus after tasting from "Survivor's" fountain of youth, introducing the network to millions of MTV-generation viewers who associate "HO Minutes" with the time lapse between lunch and sixth period. To the networks, this is hardly KBIG-FM 104.3 KIK-FM 94.3 KttT-FM ...92.7 KOSI-FM 103 5 KYSk FM .98 7 MUSIC: CLASSICAL KCPB FM ..911 KCSN-FM ..88 5 KMZT-FM 105 1 KUSC-FM ..915 MUSIC: JAZZBIG BANDPOP STANDARDS KJAZ 1260 MAC 570 KLON-FM. ..88.1 KJAZ 540 MUSIC: ROCK KBCD-FM .1031 KIIS-FM 102 .7 KNHS-FM ..89 7 KROQ-FM .1067 7 KUCI-FM .88 9 KXIU-FM .88.9 MUSIC: ROCK OLDIES KCBS-FM .93.1 KOLA 99 9 101.1 NEWS TRAFFIC KFWB 980 KNX 1070 PUBLIC RADIO KCHW-FM .89 9 KPCC-FM 89 3 KPfk-fM ,90.7 MUSIC: URBAN CONTEMPORARY KJLH-FM 102.3 3 KPWR FM 105 9 9 KAU 1430 KBUA-FM ..94 3 5 KHJ 930 KLAXFM .97 9 KIWFM ..107.1 KLVEFM ..1075 KRRA 900 KNSE 1510 3 KSCA-FM 101 9 KTNQ 1020 KVCA 60 7 KWRM 1370 XPRS 1090 FOREIGN LANGUAGE: OTHER KA2N 1300 KBLA 1580 KFOX-FM 93 5 KEZY 1190 KWL7. 1480 KYMSFM .1063 Tips for Today 9-11 a.m.

Larry Mantle's Airtalk: Rep. Steven T. Kuykendall (R-Rancho Palos Verdes); Natural I.aw presidential candidate Dr. John llagelin p.m.); "I.os Angeles Neon Tour" 1 a.m.), KPCC-FM (89.3), p.m. The Capitol Steps: Politic Takes a Holiday: Musical satire by the Washington, D.C.-based group, KCRW-FM (89.9).

p.m. Rockllne: Music and interviews with members of RKO Speedwagon, KCBS-FM (93.1). Drama-Comedy-Family 9- 9:30 p.m., a.m. Gunsmoke: "Crow Bait Bob," KNX (1070). p.m., a.m.-The Whistler: A man has problems with his sick wife (originally broadcast Ian.

7, 1946), KNX (1070). Classical 8-9 a.m. Commuter Classic: Rimsky-Korsakov Tsar's Bride: Overture," Russian National Orchestra), KMZT-FM (105.1). 10- 11 a.m. RequiemFest 2000: Faure: "Requiem," soprano Victoria de los Angeles, KCSN-FM (88.5).

7- 9 p.m. Evening Concert With lohn Maucerl: Shostakovich (15th Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra), KMZT-FM (105.1). Country-Folk-Jazz-Pop 9 a.m. -noon Morning Becomes Eclectic, KCRW-FM (89.9). lOa.m.-l p.m.-Global Village, KPFK-FM (90.7).

8- 10 p.m.-Melropolls, KCRW-FM (B9.9). Mldntght-3 a.m.-Nocturna, KCRW-FM (89.9). Rock-Urban 8-10 p.m. Smokey Robinson, KCMti 8-10 p.m. Rhapsody in Black, doo-wop, KPFK-FM (90.7).

10 p.m. -midnight Chocolate City, urban rhythm soul, KCRW-FM (89.9). Midnight-1 2:30 a.m. Music From Your Own Back Yard, KROQ-FM (106.7). News-Commentary 1-2 p.m.

To the Point: "International Space Station," KCRW-FM (89.9). TALK-INTERVIEW an academic discussion. CBS averaged more viewers than NBC in prime time last season but sold hundreds of millions of dollars less in advance advertising because its audience was appreciably older. Small wonder so much buzz has surrounded "Millionaire," whose median age has slipped from 44 last November to 48 when it came back as a series in first-quarter 2000 to 55 this fall. (The aforementioned "Diagnosis Murder," facing the unenviable assignment of clapping on opposite "ER," rings in at a median age of 60.) On an economic level, then, "getting older" is about as pejorative a phrase as any network suit is apt to hear.

Rival executives contend if the current drift continues, ABC could end up squandering a considerable portion of unsold advertising time providing free spots to "Millionaire" sponsors, known as "make-goods," to compensate for the ratings shortfall. Age thus has a direct impact on network profitability and the longevity of executives empowered to hire older writers and actors. So while these industry veterans have a legitimate ax to grind, until there's a fundamental shift in the existing system, it's hard to see how studies and lawsuits will bring about any real change. Even shame, which proved moderately effective in encouiaging racial diversity last year, seems unlikely to compel programmers to be more hospitable toward writers and actors who first think of David Jans-sen when someone mentions "The Fugitive." A few can at least laugh at their plight. In a recent piece for the WGA's magazine Written By, writer Steve Young (no, not the former quarterback) outlined strategies for youth-challenged scribes, among them purging their rdsumes of any pre-1997 credits.

"You want to be hot, not legendary," he advises. "Unless you're Larry Gelbart, drop If the clucking about median ages sounds suspiciously like the networks' latest means of spinning ratings data "Sure, we're losing, but we're No. 1 among nearsighted women 35 to 49 with one leg shorter than the other!" it highlights the emphasis on youth that gives rise to ageism. And as long as profit-conscious executives presume 20-somethings are best able to write for and appeal to 20-somethings, they're more apt to risk parting with a little pocket change to settle lawsuits than muster the courage to employ their disenfranchised ciders, for whom the ultimate goal remains the chance lo work, not welfare. So if you're over 40 and want to be a millionaire in the TV industry, the present options appear sadly limited to the following: Discover a vaccine to halt the aging process; get a good lawyer, and if all else fails "accidentally" trip in the lobby at Time Warner or Viacom; be a millionaire already, and take a seat on the ottoman alongside Dick Van Dyke.

Brian lawry's column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at brian.lowrylatimes.com. KABC 790 KFI 640 KIEV 870 KISX-FM .97.1 KMNY ....1600 KPIS 830 KRIA 1110 KXTA 1150 XTRA 690 Sports p.m. Pro Basketball: Utah at Ukers, KLAC (570), KWKW (1330). p.m.

Pro Hockey: Phoenix Coyotes at Mighty Ducks, XTRA (B90). Talk-Interview 9 a.m. -noon Dennis Prager, KAI1C (790). 9 a.m.-noon Rush Llmbaugh, KIT (640). 9 a.m.-noon Bob Dornan, KIFV (870).

9 a.m.-noon The Doctors, KPI.S (830). 9 a.m.-noon Michael Jackson, KKLA (1110). 1 1 a.m.-noon Sam Rubin. KI.SX-FM (97.1). 11 a.m.-l p.m.

Talk of the Nation, KPCC-FM (89.3). Noon-1 p.m. Let's Do Lunch, local culture, KCSN-FM (88.5). Noon-2 p.m. George Putnam, KIFV (870).

Noon 3 p.m. Laura Schlesslnger, KFI (640). Noon-3 p.m. Frosty, Heidi and Frank, KLSX-FM (97.1). Noon-3 p.m.

Dan Lungren, KPIS (830). Noon-3 p.m. Dr. Tonl Grant, KRIA (1110). p.m.-AI Rantel, KAIIC (790).

1- 2:30 p.m.-Talk of the City, KPCC-FM (89.3). 2- 4 p.m.-Mlchael Mcdved, KIFV (870). 3- 4 p.m. Clark Howard, KFI (640). 3-7 p.m.-Larry Elder, KABC (790).

3- 8 p.m.-Tom Leykis, KI.SX-FM (97.1). 4- 5 p.m.-Marc Cooper, KPFK-FM (90.7). 4-6 p.m.-Larry Marino, KIFV (870). 4-7 p.m.-Phil Hendrle. KIT (640)..