The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 112

i-et j' JVW ft ,3 3' (tilt I Segerstam Leads Philharmonic in Murky Brahms at the Bowl Prime-Time TV Rankings '60 Minutes' Leads Networks' Coverage of Diana ii Review More than 40 million people watched prime-time coverage related to the death of Princess Diana on the four major networks Sunday, with "60 Minutes" commanding the biggest audience, based on results issued Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research. Though the holiday weekend would normally reduce viewing levels, people tuned in after Diana's death late Saturday and returned Sunday. "60 Minutes" delivered its second-biggest audience this summer, despite competing with NBC's "Dateline" and last-minute specials on ABC and Fox. In what turned out to be a weekend of memor ials, NBC also honored former executive Brandon Tartikoff, who died last week, by airing a tribute Friday. The program was not rated by Nielsen because it ran without commercials, but NBC estimated that 19 of the available audience viewed the 20-minute program.

The fledgling UPN network, meanwhile, got an early jump on the fall season by premiering several series last week. "Hitz," starring Andrew "Dice" Clay, attracted just over 4 million people Tuesday, ranking 95th out of 111 programs. Less than 3 million of those viewers hung around for the show that followed, "Head Over Heels." -BRIAN LOWRY National Nielsen Viewership of composers came across as cranky and one-dimensional. Only near the end of the finale to the Third Symphony did the pall begin to lift, when conductor and orchestra briefly jelled. Segerstam a prolific composer who has.

written, among other items, nine cello concertos also lacked subtlety in the D-minor Piano Concerto a clear contrast to Kovacevich's irresistible laying-out of the work's beauties and tensile continuity. The American pianist brought drama, detail and articulation to the work, unimpeded by the technicalities that challenge lesser keyboardists in this most demanding of concertos. He shaped every phrase handsomely and, without trivializing the work, removed its air of difficulty, leaving its serious content open to scrutiny. Segerstam, for his part, waved his arms wildly, creating louds and softs but seldom addressing in-between matters. -DANIEL CARIAG A The LA.

Philharmonic will again be conducted by Leif Segerstam in a Sibelius-Richard Strauss pro-gram tonight at 8:30 at the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland (213) 850-2000. Tickets Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Aug. 25-31) 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 251 million potential U.S. viewers age 2 and older. Viewership is listed here in millions. Rflissed opportunities abounded I in Leif Segerstam's debut ap-lllpearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday. He had a major Brahms program, a major orchestra and a serious soloist to work with, but the Finnish conductor-composer failed to impress as a podium personality.

Perhaps he can return as a writer of music and have a deeper effect Brahms' First Piano Concerto, with the redoubtable pianist Stephen Kovacevich, plus the Third Symphony, certainly gave the 53-year-old Segerstam many chances to shine. However, he and the Philharmonic (uncharacteristically) turned in murky and un-clarified performances. Under Segerstam's leadership, Brahms' music lacked consistency and dynamic layering. Its manifest logic and inner line never emerged; instead, the composer's structure and buoyant musicality were' more often than not buried in general heaviness and this most optimistic Net- Vlew- 109. Jamie Fon Show WB 2.17 110.

The Parent 'Hood WB 2.01 111. Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher WB 1.49 Network Averages Here is the number of viewers that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. Last Week ft Net- View 1. Seinfeld NBC 19.68 2. 3rd RockSun (Thu.) NBC 17.05 3.

ER NBC 16.74 4. 60 Minutes CBS 15.58 5. Dateline NBC (Tue.) NBC 14.72 6. Friends NBC 14.70 7. Home Improvement ABC 14.39 8.

Dateline NBC NBC 14.19 9. Men Behaving Badly NBC 13.91 10. Drew Carey Show ABC 13.39 11. "The Beast" Part 2 NBC 13.16 12. DateineN8C(Frt.) NBC 13.14 13.

Touched by an Arel CSS 12.89 14. Spin City ABC 12.55 15. OMMNBCIMon.) NBC I2J8 16. Fmfef NBC 1157 "The Gift o( Low" CBS 1157 18. MwTiroUv ABC 11.25 19.

48Hou(Wed.) CBS 11.22 20. "Abduction or Innocence" NBC 11.19 21. LswiOrder NBC 11.17 22. Elan ABC 10.99 23. "JoMStosstl Spear ABC 10.88 24.

CyM CBS 10.70 25. 2020 ABC 1059 26. ''NewiPnricessDana'' ABC 10.54 27. Waker, Texas Ranfar CBS 10.48 28. "UOeman Video Speciar CBS 1038 29.

Coetty CBS 10.36 30. Dapwsls Murder CBS 10.28 31. Dateline NBC (Sun.) NBC 10.26 32. "The Odw Woman" CBS 10.22 33. NYPOBue ABC 10.16 34.

Mad About You NBC 10.10 36. Just Shoot Me NBC 10.09 36. Satnlna. the Teenage Witch ABC 10.00 Murrjw Brown (Mon.) CBS 10.00 38. Everyoor Loves Raymond CBS 9.90 39.

Tumnfftnt ABC 9JI 4a SpnOty(Wd.) ABC 9.62 41. JAG CBS 9.59 42. Hen1n' WMi Mr. Cooper (FrL) ABC 9.56 43. Nevsftek) NBC 9.52 44.

Promised Lend CBS 9.35 45. The Nanny CBS 9.31 46. The As FOX 9.26 47. 48 Horn CBS 9.24 48. Drew Carey Shoo (8 pin.) ABC 9.14 49.

"BtaeoTOory" NBC 8.92 50. "Wows Fun. Kids OutUMS FOX 8JH 51. Nssr. Bridge CBS 8.81 52.

uteobed Mysteries NBC 8.74 53. Boy Mens World ABC 8.50 54. JAG (Fit) CSS 8.16 55. Roseeme ABC 8.00 56. Men Beheviij Batty (Sun.) NBC 7.91 67.

Coast to Coast CBS 7.86 SB. "SeentaBottyFwfter" ABC 7.86 59. "World's Funniest Outtakes 5" FOX 7.83 60. NngoftheHI FOX 7.81 61. Step by Step ABC 7.60 62.

Early Edition CBS 7.30 63. 3rd Ro From the Sun NBC 7.23 64. The Simpsons FOX 7.18 65. America's Most Wanted FOX 7.17 66. Murphy Brown CBS 7.15 67.

Hi0 Incident ABC 6 .88 68. "Splash" FOX 6.81 69. CWnaryrjcrtoroSnery CBS 6.63 70. "Eiploeionln ABC 6.62 71. CopsfSJOpm.) FOX 6.60 72.

MartM FOX 6.55 73. Roar FOX 6.38 74. The Pretender NBC 6.35 75. "Kidnapped" NBC 6.29 76. fr.Qumlitoaclm Woman CBS 6.21 77.

The Pretender (9 p.m.) NBC 6.20 78. Cops FOX 6.11 79. "Dengwous Indiscretion" ABC 5.47 80. rw York undercover ABC 5.44 81. Moesha (8:30 pm) UPN 5.30 82.

The Wayane Bros. WB 5.21 83. Months WB 5.21 84. Smart Guy WB 5.02 85. "Karat Peoplj'iPnncett'' FOX 4.77 86.

Party of Frve FOX 4.74 87. Steve Harvey Show (Wed.) WB 4.72 88. Malcolm 4 Eddie UPN 4.57 89. SUter, Sister WB 4.46 9a Good News UPN 4.44 91. Star Trek Voyager UPN 4 JO 92.

Sparks UPN 4.27 93. Famsy Matters ABC 4.21 94. Mflermun FOX 4.07 95. Hitz UPN 4.04 96. Hengn' WW Mr.

Cooper (8:30) ABC 3.92 97. Hanjn'Mr. Cooper (9 p.m.) ABC 3.76 96. mtheHouM UPN 3.72 99. The Sentinel UPN 3.64 100.

Roar(FH.) FOX 360 101. ThePractJc ABC 349 102. The Wayans Bros. (Sun.) WB' 3.20 103. UnhappUy Ever Afar WB 3.11 104.

Head Over Heel UPN 299 105. 7thHeeven WB 278 106. Jama Fan Show (Sun.) WB 256 107. Buffy, the vampte Slayer WB 239 108. Power or One ABC 238 NBC 11.22 million CBS 9.83 ABC 8.39 FOX 6.41 UPN 4.19 3.16- Season to Date NBC 13.97 million CBS 12.60 ABC 12.08 FOX 10.27 UPN 4.24 3.48 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. CBS tta- Neeaa- Prefrsa Hod boles 1. SsirrMd KNBC 706,769 2 Dateline NBC (Frt.) KNBC 617.805 3. 60 Minutes KCBS 563,438 4. "JohnStoeeeiSpetiar KABC 548,611 5.

Fresier KNBC 538,726 Friend KNBC 538,726 7. 2020 KABC 528341 8. "Tartot7Tuta" KNBC 518.956 9. NYPDBsje KABC 504.129 10. Law Order KNBC 494.244 3rd Rock From the Sun KNBC 494,244 Mcdonough Continued from Page 42 "I don't have any negative feelings toward the new series," states Keeshan, a child-care advocate, author and actor, who recently played the wizard in a theatrical version of "The Wizard of Oz" in St Louis.

"I hope they do a good show. American' children can use good programming. But if they are going after the money, for the huge merchandising and that sort of thing, that's too bad. America regards children as a marketplace and at the same time we don't take care of them and we let them live in poverty." Saban does plan to launch an extensive line of related merchandise, from apparel and plush figures to learning toys and home videos. But it claims it will do so in a responsible manner.

"One of the assets of this project is it is perceived as wholesome, positive and safe entertainment for children," states Elie Dekel, Sa-ban's executive vice president for marketing and advertising. "It's important for us to retain that in every extension of the show, whether it be in promotion of the show or any licensing or merchandising that comes from the show." Saban is also considering taking the Captain and his crew out on a live character tour of either malls or theaters. Dekel says the latter is more likely since the company is worried about the characters appearing as if they're salesmen for products. Appearances at schools, hospitals and libraries might also be forthcoming. With numerous public appearances probable, McDonough is RADIO Bob Keeshan was the original Captain for nearly 40 years.

shows," he says. "It's all part of me. I'm happy with that because I'm more comfortable being me, especially when you just never know when you're going to be called on to say something as the Captain. If it's me, I don't feel oppressed by that I just respond the way I do. So it's a great role for me." The single McDonough appears to have a natural affinity for kids.

Prior to landing the Captain's role, he had been performing in children's theater groups since he was an English lit major at Holy Cross in Worcester, in the mid-70s. He's also a seasoned storyteller, having recorded more than 40 books for Recorded Books and has worked extensively as a narrator with East Coast orchestras. As an actor he was a cast member in ABC's "Spenser: For Hire" and has appeared in numerous plays and films. Keeshan played Captain Kangaroo for 38 years. How long would McDonough be willing to oversee the Treasure House and its cast of endearing characters? "Maybe till I grow up," sponds -with a winsome simile.1 "We'll see how long that takes." Assn.

of America lambasted the French for their film quotas, and the French blasted back. Since then, both the French and Valenti have mellowed. French-owned media companies like Gau-mont, which financed Luc Besson's Fifth Element," have discovered the lucrative benefits of playing the Hollywood game. And the ebullient Valenti, returning this year to award the MPAA's annual ($8,300) prize to a promising French screenwriter, has long since switched to mending fences, taking a gentler tack to persuade the French that good quota? do not make good' neighbors. DEAUVILLE Continued from Page 43 sion of Alain Finkielkraut, a highly' respected social and political philosopher and outspoken critic of the culture-crushing American juggernaut The shift in acceptance of American movies whether grudging or admiring has been brought on by increasing globalization of the film business in recent years and the substantial French and European financial backing for Hollywood films.

In the bad old days, circa 1993, Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture TIPS FOI TOUT I in Owen: Broadcast live from London, KABC (790). I ML-taeiti the Sanaa: "The Ps and Qs or Constitutionality of Prop. 209," KPFK-FM (90.7). I-It fJL-lnmi Ceactrt: Vaughan Williams Wasps," London Philharmonic), Mozart (Violin Concerto No. 1, Andrea Cappelletu), KKGO-FM (105.1).

IIUJU C0ME0TFAMU.T IfHIUS il-fta iJL-StTTtis Tketttr "The Velveteen Rabbit," read by Meryl Streep, KPLS (830). 4-S ml-last Eds, KPLS (830). 1 130 1JL. UL-ltirt (a, Trmt: "The Lady," KNX (W70); WW liL. HJ ii-rSjefk' -Pijeor the -j grateful that he is being allowed to been studying the old LOS ANGELES TIMES WEEKEND V'44 SEPTEMBER 1997.