The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 87

LOS ANGBLES TIMES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2000 F11 TODAY ON TV Prime-Time TV Rankings Football, 'Miss New Shows Make ABC Shine 7:30 a.m. BD KCET Barney (TVYI 29895 H3 KTBN Or Cherry 03 KOCE Instructional TV 03 KVEA El Show del Padre Alberto i 03 KDOC Life in the Word 03 KLCS Geometry in My World TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNTERIJV14-V) USA Jesse (TVPG) VH1 New Videos (TVPGI 10:30 a.m. Q) KTTV Power of Attorney 24 KVCR HomeFix EH KTBN Casey Treat 03 KDOC New Zoo Revue 826050 03 KLCS in Me; Entrepreneur in You, 3-2-1 Classroom Contact (10 451 COM Whose Line Is It Anyway? DISN Beat in the Big Blue House ESPN Ametica's Horse FNC NewsVester KCAL Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (TVY71 62234 DO KCOP 63! KADY Recess QD KSCI Iran-Sima (Farsi) 19944 24 KVCR Introduction to Sociology KCET Clifford the Big Red Dog CD KTBN Marilyn Hickey 03 KOCE Sew Young, Sew Fun 03 KDOC Hollywood Plaza 03 KLCS Clifford the Big Red Dog 09 KRCA Chespirito BET Bill Winston DISN Bear in the Big Blue House Talk Soup (TVPG DI 9601 28 ESPN2 BodyShapinq CHANNELS Los Angeles S3 KVEA (Tele) 23 Orange County 03 KD0C (Ind 1 56 fl KCBS (CBSI 02 B3KJLA(lnd25 KNBC (NBC) 04 03 KLCS (Edu 1 7 HKTLA(WB)u5 KABC (ABC! 07 Palm Springs UKCAL(lnd09 36 KMIR(NBCI04 03KnV(Foxll 42 KESQIABCI 7, IB KCOP (UPN) 13 25 BD KCET IPBS) 28 3 KYT (ABC) 07 EDKPXNIPAXI30 San Bernardino EJKMEXUni.M 2 KVCR (PBS) 24 HQ KTBN tint) 1 40 Ventura County HD KOCE IPBS) 50 63 ADY (UPN) 16 Cable Services 39 ESPN2 84 NICK 38 AMC 35 FAM 47 SCI-FI 87 BET 57 FNC 91 SHOW 41 BRV0 54 FSN 27 ciiun One surprise has been CBS' new Monday sitcom "Yes, Dear," which is consistently improving upon its "King of Queens" lead-in audience. NBC ranked first among the young-adult demographics on which advertisers focus behind its revised Thursday lineup. Those results included a best-ever rating for "Will Grace," as that sitcom and "Just Shoot Me" beat the Thursday edition of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," whose four installments averaged 19.6 million viewers.

HBO's "Sex and the City" closed its third season with an estimated 4.7 million viewers; however, 35 of that audience bailed out on the premiere of "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David's new comedy, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." BRIAN LOWRY The highest-rated "Monday Night Football" game since I-abor Day, solid Tuesday night premieres and the "Miss America Pageant" helped ABC walk away with the weekly ratings crown, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. ABC posted encouraging initial sampling for "The Geena Davis Show" and a preview of its drama "Gideon's Crossing," starring Andre Braugher. The network also won Saturday thanks to "Miss America," even though the pageant's Nielsen measurements were off 18 compared to last year. People continue to test-drive new series, though ratings for most shows have dropped compared to their opening, as viewing patterns remain in flux. National Nielsen Viewership FAM Two of a Kind TVG FNC NewsQuinn I FSN National Sports Report i FSN2 The Method FX MASH (TVPG) 1 HBO Babar (TVY) I FSN2 Yoga Zone HBO "My Blue Heaven" '90 (PH 13) 1ht35 8276079 I HGTV Collectible Tteasures IFC "And the Ship Sails On" '83 (PG) 50304514 (10 401 LIFE Who Knows You Best1 (TVPG) NICK Franklin 892012 TCM "Wise Girl" '37 IhrlO 5559012 I TLC A Dating Story (TVG) I TMC "Oleanna" '94 1hr29 I 5352302 i USA Ned and Stacey (TVPGDI 11:00 a.m.

CNBC 31 FSN2 59 TRS 41 i COM 79 FX 89 jru nn CSPN 29 HBO 33 1, Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Oct. 915) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. They are based on the average number ol 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. HGTV Room by Room LIFE Denise Austin's Daily Workout MTV MTV Jams (TVPG) NICK Hey Arnold! 346418 SCI-FI Crossing Ovor (TVPGI SHOW "The House on Carroll Street" '88(PG)1hr41 25364906 (7:45) TLC Nini's Treehouse TMC "Theremin An Electronic Odyssey" '94(PG)1hr24 6514019 Program WB UPN 2 24 184 Grosse Pointe "Body Count" AMC "Young at Heart" '54 2hr15 86711692 A Law BET AM at BET 702166 BRVO St. Elsewhere CNBC Power Lunch 31505 CNN Newsday DSC Assignment Discovery (TVG) DISN Otter (TVY) Celebrity Homes ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NFL 2Night 2904186 FAM It's Itsy Busy Time (TVY) FNC NewsAsman FSN Sports Geniuses FX NYPD Blue(TV14) HGTV Appraisal Fair HIST Weapons at War (TVG) IFC "The Shooting Party" '84 1hr37 9857505 LIFE Murphy Brown MSNBC Headliners Legends MTV Music Videos (TVPG) NICK Little Bear 803128 SCI-FI Battlestar Galactica (TVG) SUND "sex, lies, and videotape" '89 (R) 1hr36 888055 TBS Matlock TCM "The Lady With Rod Hair" '40 IhrIB 4461654 TLC A Baby Story (TVPG) TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNTERITV14) USA Something So Right (TVPG) 9:30 a.m. KCAL To Tell the Truth Eil KTTV Divorce Court (TVPGI HD KCET Between the Lions (TVY) (R 3285 GS KTBN Unfolding Majesty With Dean Mary Brown S3 KDOC Benny Hum CNN Burden of Proof 186963 DISN Out of the Box (TVY) Mysteries Scandals (TVPG) ESPN2 RPM 2Night FAM CBN Special Edition 719215 FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion HBO REAL Sports With Bryant Gumbel (TVPGI HGTV Appraise It! NICK Blue's Clues SHOW "Inspector Clouseau" '68 (G1hr38 8103925 TIC A Baby Story (TVPG) USA Hearts Afire (TVPGI 8:00 a.m. Cable Top 10 Here are Nielsen's Top 10 cable programs in prime time last week, also ranked by total viewers (in millions).

Net. View. work era Program Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio KCBS The Young and the Restless (1V14) 80692 El KNBC News I-i KTLA Judge Mills Lane KABC 3 KEYT Port Charles (1VPGI 4908 KCAL Moral Court (TVPG) DJ KTTV Oueen Latifah 66050 DO KCOP Ricki Lake 56708 KWHY "La Reina del Tropico" '45 2hr 286321 241 KVCR More Than Memories BD KCET Noddy (TVY) 7640 B3 KMEX DKDA (TVPG) 36 KMIR The People's Court EJ3 KTBN James Robison 42! KESQ Montel Williams 29234 03 KDOC Southland Today S3 KLCS Taxes in History AMC "Duel in the Sun '46 2hr30 14049789(1 1.15) Magnum. PI BET Amen CNBC Street Signs COM Win Ben Stein's Money (TVPG) CSPN House of Representatives 1062147 DSC l.ynette Jennings Design DISN Winnie the Pooh (TVYI ESPN NFL's Greatest Moments ESPN2 Street Rodder FAM It's Itsy Busy Time (TVY) FX MASH (TVPG) HGTV The Carol Ouvall Show HIST True Action Adventures (TVG) LIFE Unsolved Mysteries (TVPGI MTV Music Videos (TVPGI NICK Dora the Explorer 331942 SCI-FI Battlestar Galactica (TVG) SHOW "A Shot in the 1. Sunday Night Football ESPN 8 30 2 Wrestling (Mon 10pm TNN 720 3 Wrestling (Mon 9 TNN 667 4 Sei and the City HBO 4,71 5.

"Eyes Wide Shut" HBO 4 29 6. NflPnmetime ESPN 3.90 7 Wrestling (Mon 8 TNT 3 69 8 "First Target" TBS 3.69 9. Rugrats NICK 3 56 10. Jackass MTV 3 30 Network Averages Here is the number of viewers that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. 11 KCAL Monster Rancher (TVY7) QD KCOP 63i KADY Sabrina, the Animated Series "Bat Pack" 81447 241 KVCR Austin City Limits (TVG) BO KCET Dragon Talcs 57924 CD KTBN Kenneth Copeland 03 KOCE School of Fine Art 03 KLCS Adventures From the Book ol Virtues 20586 03 KRCA Cine Noithern Exposure (TVPG) BET Amazing Facts BRVO Bravo Profiles (TVPGI CNN In the Money COM "Clue" '85 6713215 DISN Bear in the Big Blue House FashionTelevision ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NHL 2Night FAM Angela Anaconda TVY7 FSN2 Yoga Zone FX MASH (TVPGI HBO "Coed Call Girl" '96 1hr36 425050 HGTV TIPical Mary Ellen HIST Civil War Journal (TVG) IFC IFC Short Film Showcase II 906673 LIFE Designing Women (TVPG D) MTV TRL (TVPGI NICK The Wild Thornberrys SCI-FI Battlestar Galactica (TVG) TBS Mama's Family TIC Salty's lighthouse (TVY) TNT Lois Clark (TVPGI USA Carol Burnett and Friends VH1 Music Videos (TVPG) Net- View-Program work era 1.

ER NBC 29.33 2. Friends (8:30 p.m.) NBC 27.93 3. Friends NBC 25.54 4. Willi Grace NBC 24.32 5. Mon.

Night Football ABC 21.99 6. Millionaire (Tue.) ABC 20.57 7. Just Shoot Me NBC 20.37 8. Millionaire (Sun.) ABC 20.33 9. Every.

Loves Raymond CBS 19.92 10. Millionaire (Wed.) ABC 19.29 11 The Practice ABC 1847 12 Dhamia Greg ABC 18.46 13. Millionaire (TIM ABC 1802 14 The Geena Dans Show ABC 1730 15 Becker CBS 16 73 16. Judging Amy CBS 16 42 17 CSI CBS 1580 18 Belle CBS 15 72 19. Gideon's Crossing ABC 15 43 20.

60 Minutes CBS 15 26 21. Touched 6y an Angel CBS 15 09 22 Ves. Dear CBS 14.72 23 King ol Queens CBS 14 39 24. JAG CBS 14 07 25. The District CBS 13.69 26 NashBndges CBS 13 59 27.

Dark Angel FOX 13 40 28 Third watch NBC 13 29 29. Welcome to New oi CBS 12 71 30. Stsler Act 2 ABC 12 68 31 "Miss America Pageant" ABC 12 62 32. "yesterdays Children CBS 12.40 33 60 Minutes II CBS 12 32 34. Baseball.

Game 1.AICS NBC 1194 35. The Fugitive CBS 1191 36 2020 (Fn ABC 1185 37. That 70s Show FOX 1180 38. Baseball Game 3. ALCS NBC 11.67 39 48 Hours CBS 1153 40.

Family law CBS 1143 41. Pnmebme Thursday ABC 1107 42 Deadline NBC 10 94 43. Ed NBC 10 63 Bus FOX 10 63 45. Pres. Debate Analysis ABC 10 40 46 Walker.

Teas Ranger CBS 1005 47. Baseball.Game2.NI.CS FOX 9 71 48 Baseball. Game l.NLCS FOX 931 49. Whose Line Is It? (8:30 pm ABC 895 50. Baseball.

Game 4, NLCS FOX 889 51. Pres. Debate Analysis NBC 8 80 52. Peter Jennings Reporting ABC 8 79 53 Whose line Is It Anyway? ABC 827 54 tens NBC 8 20 55. Amenca Most Wanted FOX 8.12 56.

Cops FOX 802 57. Police Videos FOX 7.95 58. City ol Angels CBS 7 93 Diagnosis Murder CBS 7.93 10:00 a.m. List Season week to date ABC 14.52 million 13.76 CBS 12.72 13.60 NBC 12.70 11.82 FOX 8.93 8.86 UPN 4.38 4.54 WB 4.14 4.38 CNN 42 HGTV 80 58 DSC 37 IFC 21 TNN 49 DISN 53 LIFE 46 TNT 52 63 MSNBC 90 USA 44 ESPN 34 MTV 48 VHt 62 Use numbers after call letters to sel VCR Plus. Where there are two numbers, repeat the procedure, R) in the giid, denotes a repeat program.

TV RATINGS ITVY) All Children ITVY7) Directed to Oldet Children (1VY7-FV) Directed to Older Children. FantasyViolence (TVG) General Audience (TVPGI Parental Guidance (TV14 Patents Strongly Cautioned (TVMA) Mature Audiences Only (0 Suggestive Dialogue (L) Coarse Language IS Sex (V) Violence Movie Ratings A CLASSIC FIRST RATE FLAWED: HAS MOMENTS DESPERATION TIME Morning 7:00 a.m. KCBS The Early Show 81321 (1 KNBC 36 KMIR Today 521760 KTLA Morning News 36895 IJ KABC 3 KEYT42 KESQ Good Morning America 21963 DO KTTV Good Day A. 74079 CH KC0P 63 KAOY Bun Lightyear of Star Command 28925 KWHV Bizbirije 86505 24 KVCR Introduction to Sociology HD KCET Zoboomafoo 2489 E3 KPXN Employment Television EQ KMEX jDespierta Amenca! EH KTBN Rod Parsley 03 KOCE Inside Statistics KVEA Esta Mariana EH KJLA Luke HD KLCS Learning English KRCA Nubelu; (TVYI 25505 AMC "The Farmer's Daughter" '47 2hr 707505 Susan Anthony: Rebel for the Cause (TVG) BET Feed the Children CMAX "Swamp Water" '41 1hr30 692895 CNBC Market Watch 68147 CSPN U.S. House of Representatives 705296 DISN Rupert (TVY) E1 News Daily 974321 ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 Kiana's Flex Appeal FAM Mary-Kate Ashley (TVY) FSN Regional Sports Repott FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion FX MASH (TVPGI HBO Country MouseCity Mouse HGTV Decorating With Style HIST The Real West (TVG) IFC The Name of This Film Is Oogme 95 LIFE Denise Austin's Fit Lite MSNBC Morning Line NICK CatDog 327383 SCI-FI Dark Shadows 5132012 SUND "The Opposite of Sex" Net- View-Program work ere 60.

That's ll(e CBS 7 80 61 Dart Angel FOX 7 79 62 WWF Smackdown! UPN 7 74 63 MadiganMen ABC 7 43 64. Two Guys and a Gill ABC 7 29 65. Pres Debate Analysis CBS 7 16 66 Norm ABC 7 15 67. Cops(8 30pm FOX 7 05 68 Tucker NBC 695 DaddiO NBC 6 95 70 7th Heaven WB 692 71 "Virtuosity'' NBC 683 72 Trouble With Normal ABC 652 73 Baseball. NICS Pregame FOX 629 74.

Star Trek Voyager UPN 5 68 75. Dawson's Creek WB 537 76. Bully, tie Vampire Slayer WB 5 34 77. World Most Amazing Videos NBC 512 78 Charmed WB 510 79 Angel WB 5 09 80 Felicity WB 4 98 81 Fieakylinks FOX 4 74 82 The Palters UPN 4 58 83 Roswell WB 4 32 84. The Hughleys UPN 4 10 85 Moesha UPN 393 86 Seven" UPN 3 80 87.

7 Days UPN 3 51 88 Gilmoie Girts WB 340 89 The Steve Harvey Show WB 3 25 90 Minerals UPN 313 91. Sabnna, the Teenage Witch WB 302 92. ThePJs WB 298 93. Hype WB 2 85 94. For your love WB 2 75 95 Nikkl WB 2 49 96 Popular WB 233 97.

The Jamie Foil Show WB 2 31 fl KCBS The Price Is Right (TVG) 3 KEYT Martha Stewatt 64654 KNBC Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus 62296 KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael (TVPGI 15302 a KABC 42: KESQ The View 59370 KCAL Judge Mathis (TVPGI ID KTTV Power of Attorney DO KCOP Montel Williams 36944 KWHY Hablame de Amor 24: KVCR Creative Living HD KCET Sesame Street 32708 S3 KMEX El Super Blablazo (IVG) 36 KMIR Dr. Laura 784654 8:30 a.m. I Dark" '64 PG 38239302 (11:151 I SUNO "Hannah and Her Sisters" '86 (PG-13) 1hr47 239789 TBS "Praying Mantis" '93 (PG-13) 2hr05 95348645 I TLC A Wedding Story 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. i TNN Dukes of Hazzard TNT "Calendar Girl" '93 IPG- 131 2hr 660741 USA Wings (TVPG 01 i VH1 Don't Quote Me (TVPG) CH KTBN Behind the Scenes 09 KVEA "Persequida, Testigo de un Crimen" 2hr 89055 Sta- Home-Program Hon holds Friends (8 30) KNBC 1.135,366 Will Grace KNBC 1.044.323 Fnends KNBC 1.038,967 ER KNBC 819.392 The Geena Davis Show KABC 781.903 Just Shoot Me KNBC 755,126 The Practice KABC 733.704 Millionaire (Tue KABC 733.704 Baseball.

AlCS Poslgame KNBC 733.704 Dharma 4 Greg KABC 706.926 Fl KCAL Beakman's World 60302 QD KCOP 63 KADY Pepper Ann HD KCET Arthur (TVY) 581 15 BD KPXN James Robison EE KTBN Laverno and Edith Tripp 03 KOCE Teletubbies 275302 03 KLCS Cursive Handwriting: Phonics in Context (8.45) BET Peter Popoff CMAX "Scenes From a Mall" '91 (R)1hr27 885418 DISN Winnie the Pooh (TVY) Fashion Emergency (TVG) ESPN2 NBA Today FAM Kids From Room 402 (TVY7) FSN Regional Sports Report FX MASH (TVPG) HGTV Smart Solutions LIFE Designing Women (TVPG DI NICK Rugrats 812876 TBS Cosby (TVG) TLC Skinnamarink TV (TVY) TMC "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" '991hr36 USA Carol Burnett and Friends Rosenberg: Many Readers Share His Pain 11:30 a.m. 3 KEYT News fl KTLA The Nanny (TVPG) KABC News DO KSCI Taiwan News 24 KVCR Kaye's Quilting Friends HD KCET Teletubbies (TVYI 84499 CD KTBN Benny Hinn 03 KDOC Headline News 03 KLCS Teen Issues 63! KADY The Cosby Show BET 106lh Park: BET Top 10 Live CMAX "Jack Frost" '98 (PGI 1hr35 3040031 COM Win Ben Stein's Money (TVPG) DISN Otter (TVY) ESPN2 Soccer- UEFA Champions League: FC Barcelona vs. AC Milan. 31807944 FAM It's Itsy Bitsy Time (TVY) FSN Paralympic Daily Highlights FX MASH (TVPGI HGTV Simply Quilts HIST Great Blunders in History NICK Maggie the Fetocious Beast 981401 TLC A Wedding Story USA Wings (TVPG-D) VH1 The Divine Miss Bette Midler Videos (TVPG) 630215 Please see TV LOG F12 03 KLCS Working Together: Interactions: Real Math, Real Careers (10:15 KRCA Cine Murder, She Wrote BET OH Drama' 996418 BRVO "Frances" '82 3hr 340147 CMAX "The Iron Giant" '99PG1hr26 662654 CNN CNN Today COM The Daily Show 6716302 DSC Home Matters (TVG) DISN Rolie Polie Ohe (TVY) The E1 True Hollywood Story (TVPG) 177321 ESPN Racehorse Digest ESPN2 Bowling Senior Tour. 1539079 FAM The 700 Club FSN2 The Method FX Beverly Hills, 90210 (TVPGI HGTV At the Auction HIST 20th Century (TVPGI LIFE Who Knows You Best? (TVPG) MSNBC Home Page MTV Music Videos (TVPG) NICK Little Bill 619876 SCI-FI Battlestar Galactica (TVG) TBS Hunter TLC A Dating Story (TVG) 9:00 a.m.

KCBS Martha Stewart 90166 II KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael 21050 fl KABC 31 KEYT 42 KESQ live! With Regis 2341B II KCAL Family Feud EQ KTTV Divorce Court (TVPGI HO KCOP Maury Phobias. 87654 DO KSCI I Can Do It! EB KWHY Ellas, Inocentes Culpables 24 KVCR Sesame Street 47692 yHIHIlhrlb Ubl4 TBS Little House on the Prairie TCM "Virginia City" '40 2hr01 5169166 TLC Jay Jay the Jet Plane (TVY TNT CHiPs (TVPGI VH1 Back to Back Videos (TVPGI RADIO Tips for Today 9- 1 1 a.m. Larry Mamie's Airtalk: "Health Dialogues: Alternative Medicine," (9-10 a.m.) Kl'CC-I'M (89.3). 10- 11 a.m. RequiemFest 2000: "Gregorian Cham: Requiem Mass and Office for the Dead," Monastic Choir rf the Abbey of St.

Peter, Solesmes), KCSN-l (B8.5). p.m. Rockline: music and interviews with inemhers of Special, KCliS I'M (93.1). p.m., a.m. Gunsmoke: Dillon (William Conrad) gets in the way of two men out to settle scores, KNX (1070).

Drama-Comedy-Family p.m., a.m. The histler: A well is the perfect place to hide a body, or is it? (originally broadcast Dec. II), 1945), KNX (1070). Classical 8-9 a.m. Commuter Classic: Glinka ife for the Tsar: Overture." tlSSH Symphony Orchestra), KMM (105.1).

1 1:15 a.m. -noon Masterpiece of the Day: Rachmaninoff (Piano Concerto No. 1, pianist Mikhail Rudy), KMZT-IM (105.1). Country-Folk-Jazz-Pop 9 a.m. -noon Morning Becomes Eclectic, KCKW-I (89.9).

10 a.m. -I p.m. Global Village, Kl'l K-TM (90.7). 8-10 p.m. Metropolis, KCRVV-I (89.9).

Midnight-3 a.m. Nocturna, KCKW-I'M (89.9). Rock-Urban 8-10 p.m. Smokey Robinson, KCMG (92.3). 8-10 p.m.

Rhapsody in Black. doo-wop, KI'IK-IM (90.7). 10 p.m.-miilnighi Chocolate City, urban rhythm soul, KCIHV-I (H9.9). a.m. Music From Your Own Back Yard, KHOO-I (106.7).

Talk-Interview Noon-3 p.m. Frosty, Heidi and Frank, KI.SX-FM (97.1). Noon-3 p.m. Dan Lungren, KPI.S (830). Noon-3 p.m.

Dr. Toni Grant, k'UU (1110). p.m. Al Rantel, KAliC (790). 1- 2:30 p.m.-TalkoflheClly, Kl'CC-I (89.3).

2- 4 p.m. Michael Medved, KIKV (870). 3- 4 p.m. Clark Howard, KIT (640). 3-7 p.m.

Larry Elder, KAHC (790). 3-8 p.m. Tom Leykls, KI.SX-1'M (97.1). "guy next door," instead of being the most articulate, informed and experienced in foreign and domestic affairs or gasp the most intellectually able person to fill this job! Can the average American voter be so dumb? I hope not. TERRY UTTERBACK Santa Barbara The myopic pettiness of the press and "political experts" has astonished, infuriated and sickened me to no end.

To assume that the American public, which is besieged with violence, illiteracy, lax environmental protection and an embarrassing health-care system, would care more about what color a person's tie is or how many times they sighed or laughed is more than insulting. It is frightening. E.M. LOGUN Los Angeles This "Hollywood Squares" style of coverage (with the exception of PBS and perhaps CNN), which dotes only on the stupidity factor and lack of attention span of John Q. Public, is positively frightening.

I sincerely hope Congress is up to the task of running the country. I feel the average voter can't tell the difference between Jerry Falwell and Jesse Ventura. PETER PAUL Spring Grove, Va. I have particularly found Chris Matthews of "Hardball" offensive of late, and I am a longtime fan of his. I think he is bucking for a job as a campaign consultant or a political advisor to a candidate in some election.

On his show he repeatedly spends copious time drawing out his guests about what strategy Bush should use to win the election. I don't hear the same kind of searching done on behalf of Al Gore. SUE CLARK Ann Arbor, Mich. The real tragedy-travesty is that media pundits are not outraged that Jim Lehrer was considered for, let alone selected, as the debates moderator. Lehrer has acknowledged that he has not voted since 1964, supposedly to ensure his objectivity.

Where is the media outrage now that a chronic nonvoter is a key factor? PETER D. ARCHEY Reading, Pa. I have a few points on the whole thing: Debates should occur only if all candidates who qualify for public financing are allowed to participate. I might hate Pat Buchanan, but if we pay $12 million to him, I want him on that platform, making an ass of himself. Debate formats should be changed, with two possibilities.

One, a sort of press conference for each candidate (this is what is done in Italy) with friendly and hostile journalists present. The result: harder for candidates to stick with platitudes. Two, no debates but a series of free one-hour time slots on TV. All channels required to carry them. Each hour must be devoted to one issue and no candidate is allowed to mention another candidate or hisher program.

The advantage: No charges that "my proposal is being misrepresented by my opponent." GIULIO ONGARO Los Angeles I especially liked your sanity question. The same query might also be applied to the politicians and the public. Have you ever seen a more surrealistic presidential election? I think that the real fun will start next year when America wakes up on Jan. 21 and realizes that one of these two losers is actually the president. Vote Nader! WAYNE MURRAf I Houston It's time political commentators stopped acting like cheerleaders.

What are they teaching people in journalism school these days? LYNN M. WALTERS Minnetonka, Minn. Howard Rosenberg's column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He can be contacted by e-mail at lwward.rosenbergla times.com. Continued from Fl framing these debates as though they were the Stanley Cup playoffs: "Gore is in a slump and hasn't scored in his last two games." This kind of journalism is the most ridiculous 1 have ever seen.

Please, for the sake of the free world, don't let that bumbling fool, Bush, into the White House. He makes me feel amazed that he can even find a door to get out of the house in the morning. MIKE MOFFATT Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada I read the "blather" you call an article. Obviously, it doesn't matter to you that Gore lies through his teeth every time he approaches a podium. Well, I'd rather have a president that mispronounces country names now and then over a pathological liar.

Gore panders to blacks, women, poor people, the elderly and anyone else he can get to fall for his Populism. I Ic's even pandering to the Jews with his VP choice. So get real, Rosenberg. JOE SAGE Albany, N.Y. Some years ago in my New York Observer column, I proposed that pundits be licensed, the licenses subject to a penalty point system (like driving) for fatuousness, groveling, gross error, etc.

points and your license is suspended; and it's revoked. No Charlie Rose, no more rat-like Howard Kurtz. Actually, now that I think of it, instead of "points," why not "David Five Gergens and you're out! MICHAEL M.THOMAS Brooklyn, N.Y. You could have saved space by not pointing out that you are a liberal Democrat. We already knew that because you are a media guy.

JOHN ROACH Dallas I agree with you 100 about the popularity contest we are witnessing during and after the debates. It's only about who can appear to be the most likable, most witty, most appealing to women, the Wit yom don't know ft iB omi votir steaif 0 wst might Mil you. Will the right care be there for you when you need it most? Tune in "Critical Condition" with Hedrick Smith, for a hard look inside our healthcare system from a patient's perspective. Because ignorance can -be fatal. Critical Condition Mr News updated more often than area codes.

Wednesday, October 18th, 8- 11pm, on KCET Channel 28. uiith Hedrick Smith Principal funding by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Major funding by California Healthcare Foundation. Additional funding by the Charles E. Culpeper Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund..