The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 192

Fl4oc WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2001 LOS ANGELES TIMES TODAY ON TV Prime-Time TV Rankings Bada-Bing! Biggest Audience Joins 'Sopranos Club 11:00 a.m. (tnphe Sopranos" exhibited the kind of ratings respectable start with the premiere of its "The X- IS KRCA Los Polivoces 27649 BET Bill Winston DISN The Book of Pooh (TVY) El Talk Soup (TVPG-DI 825465 ESPN2 NCAA Final Four Highlights FAM Two of a Kind ITVG) FNC NewsQuinn FSN National Sports Report FSN2 Yoga Zone FX MASH (TVPG) HGTV Room by Room LIFE Oenise Austin's Daily Workout MTV MTV Jams (TVPG) NICK Hey Arnold! 733939 SHOW "A Man Called Sarge" '90 (PG-13) 1hr28 3347216 TIC NiNi's Treehouse (TVY) FSN2 Regional Sports Report FXNYPDBIue(TV14) HGTV Appraisal Fair HIST Weapons at War (TVG) IFC "The Quiet Room" '96 (PG)1hr35 39542200 (9: 15) LIFE Golden Girls (TVPG-D) MTV Music Videos (TVPG) NICK Little Bear 559804 SCI-H Wonder Woman (TVG) SHOWvV "High Road to China" '83 (PG)1hr45 27904787 (9:151 SUND "Elvira Madigan" '67 (PG)1hr35 437858 TBS Matlock TLC A Baby Story (TVPG) TNNWKRP in Cincinnati TNT ER (TVPG-L) USA Something So Right (TVPG) VH1 Top 20 Countdown (TVPG) CHANNELS LnAngelM ES KVEA (Tele) 23 Orange County B3 KDOC (Ind )56 QKCBSCBS)02 Bl KJLA (Ind.) 25 UKNBCINBQ04 HTLA(WB)05 DKABC(A6C)07 Palm Springs KMIR (NBC) 04 IDlOTVIFoxm 4KESQABC7. tBKC0PUPN13 25 DKSQ(M)18 Sarrte Barbara WHY (Ind.) 22 TaMO? BO KCET (PBS) 28 c3 EH) KPXN (PAX) 30 San Bernardino KMHAJrilM E0KTBN(lnd )4O Ventura County EBK0CEIPBSI50 Sf KAOY(UPN) 16 Cable Services 39 ESPN2 84 NICK 38 AMC 35 FAM 47 SCI-FI 87 RFT FNC Ql cunui Ftles spinoff, The Lone Gunmen, though viewing of the show dropped from the first to the second half-hour. CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" delivered its biggest audience yet, as ratings for that show and "Survivor" surged opposite reruns of NBC's Thursday comedies. The new crime series "Big Apple," however, lost almost half "CSI's" lead-in against an original "ER." Another first-year CBS drama, "Kate Brasher," fell about 12 off its premiere Saturday but still posted solid numbers, while NBC's XFL football league continues to lose ground and was by far the lowest-rated major network telecast last week.

BRIAN LOWRY firepower seldom seen on cable television with its third-season premiere Sunday, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. With an estimated 11.3 million viewers, the Home Box Office drama achieved its highest ranking yet and attracted a bigger audience than NBC's opening installment of the two-part Kennedy family saga "The Women of Camelot," despite the fact the pay channel is available in less than 30 of U.S. homes. A competing made-for-TV movie, "Amy and Isa-belle," with Elisabeth Shue, weathered that assault, as the "Oprah Winfrey Presents" banner continues to spin ratings gold for ABC. Fox also got off to a 8:00 a.m.

0 KCBS The Young and the Restless (TV14) 12129 0 KNBC News 0 KTLA Judge Mills Lane 0 KABC 31 KEYT Port Charles (TVPG-LI 34216 0 KCAL Moral Court (TVPG) 03 KTTV Queen Latifah 12113 03 KCOP Jenny Jones (TVPG) 24571 KWHYRoseanne i24 KVCR More Than Memories BO KCET Noddy (TVY) 92842 EQ KMEX Pobre Diabla 22113 36 KMIR News EE) KTBN James Robison 42 KESQ Montel Williams 88397 SO KDOC Headline News ffl KJLA A Tu Salud SO KLCS Using Maps. Globes. Graphs, Tables. Charts and Diagrams 631 KADY Unhappily Ever After (TV14-DL) AMCtt "Firecreek" '68 2hr 343465 Magnum. P.I.

CMAX "American Movie: The Making of Northwestern" '99 (R)1hr47 77047465 (11:1 5) CNBC Street Signs COM Don't Forget Your Toothbrush CSPN S. House of Representatives DSC Lynette Jennings Design DISN Bear in the Big Blue House 9:30 a.m. BRVO 54 FSN 27 SUND 36 CNBC 31 FSN2 59 trc 43 89 TCM tarn nou National Nielsen Viewership Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Feb. 26-March 4) 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. 0 KCAL To Tell the Truth 03 KTTV Divorce Court (TVPG) BO KCET Between the Lions (TVY) (R) 31804 EE) KTBN Unfolding Majesty With Dean Mary Brown SO KDOC Benny Hinn SO KLCS Here's How (9:45) BET AM at BET 859129 CMAX "Beverly Hills Cop II" '87 (R1hr43 2096587 CNN Burden of Proof 840668 DISN Rolie Polie Olie (TVY)' El Mysteries Scandals (TVPG-V) FAM C8N Special Edition 475378 FSN Grand Prix Showjumping Report FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion HGTV Appraise It! LIFE Golden Girls (TVPG-D) NICK Blue's Clues 295194 TLC A Baby Story (TVPG) TNNWKRP in Cincinnati USA Hearts Afire (TVPG) I ci zuu i urammy nwaros rasnion I Review (TVG) 8341 13 I ESPN2 In the Driver's Seat KCAL Bewitched (TVG) 03 KCOP S3 KADY Sabrina. the Animated Series 58465 124) KVCR Charlie Rose 183804 BO KCET Dragon Tales (TVY) 34561 HO KTBN Kenneth Copeland BO KOCE Simply Painting Around the World EO KDOC James Robison 321939 00 KJLA Hollywood Treasures BD KLCS Adventures From the Book of Virtues 29533 133 KRCA Cine Northern Exposure (TVPG) BET Amazing Facts BRVO Bravo Profiles (TVPG) CMAX "Sky Riders" 76 (PG)1hr33 713736 COM "The Woman in Red" '84 (PG-13) 2hr 5382674 DISN Bear in the Big Blue House El FashionTelevision ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NBA Today FAM Angela Anaconda (TVY7) FSN2 National Sports Report FXMASH(TVPG HGTV TIPical Mary Ellen HIST Civil War Journal ITVG) LIFE Designing Women (TVPG-D) MTV Direct Effect (TVPG) NICK The Wild Thornberrys (TVY) SCI-FI seaQuest OSV SUND "Who Is Henry Jaglom?" '95 1hr 628200 TBS Mama's Family TLC Salty Lighthouse (TVY) TNT Lois Clark (TVPG) USA USAM News CMAX 45 HIST 30 CNN 42 HGTV 80 58 DSC 37 IFC 21 49 DISN 53 LIFE 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 (TVi7-FV) Directed to Older Children; FantasyViolence (TVG) General Audience (TVPG) Parental Guidance (TV1 4) Parents Strongly Cautioned (TVMA) Mature Audiences Only ID) Suggestive Dialogue III Coarse Language Sex (V) Violence Movie Ratings A CLASSIC FIRST RATE FLAWED: HAS MOMENTS DESPERATION TIME Morning 10:00 a.m. Program work on 82. Bufty tie Vampire Slaver WB 5.97 83.

"World's Funniest Special" FOX 5.62 84. Angel WB 5.21 85. Star Trek: Voyager UPN 5.11 86. Charmed WB 416 87. TV Guide Truth 7" FOX 4 07 88 Dawson's Creek WB 4.00 89.

Roswei WB 3 74 90. The Parkers UPN 369 91. Gilmore Girts WB 267 92. Moesha UPN 357 93. The Hughlevs UPN 3 56 94.

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch WB 3 55 95. XA Football NBC 3 54 96 "The Players Club" UPN 345 97. Popstars WB 332 98 XFl Post-Game NBC 3 30 99. 7 Days UPN 320 100. The Steve Harvey Show WB 316 101.

Girlfriends UPN 314 102. The PJS WB 2.91 103. The Jamie Font Show WB 281 104 Popular WB 265 105. Popstars (Sun 9 p.m.) WB 247 106. Jack JUI WB 221 107.

Popstars (Sun 8:30) WB 215 108 Gary Mike (9 p.m.) UPN 2.13 109 Xa Football UPN 191 110 Celebrity Deathmatch UPN 1.79 111. CelebntyDeattimalcti(9 30) UPN 1.78 112. Nikki WB 1.62 114. Gary Mike UPN 1.46 Elisabeth Shue FAM It's ItsyBitsy Time (TVY) FX Beverly Hills. 90210 (TVPG) HGTV The Carol Duvall Show HIST True Action Adventures (TVG) IFC "Picnic at Hanging Rock" 75 (PG)1hr55 553129 LIFE Unsolved Mysteries (TVPG) MTV Music Videos (TVPGI NICK Dora the Explorer 575264 SCI-H Battlestar Galactica (TVG) SHOWtfW "Moonlighting" '82 IPG) 1hr37 8914533 TBS "Matlock: Nowhere to Turn" '90 2hr 735303 TLC A Wedding Story (TVG) TNN The Wonder Years (TVG) TNT "Keep the Change" '92 2hr 260649 USA Wings (TVPG-D) VH1 Behind the Movie (TVPG) Program wxk ws 1.

Survivor II CBS 31.32 2. ER NBC 25.57 3. CSI CBS 23.72 4. Millionaire (Sun.) ABC 19.53 5. "Amy and Isabelle" ABC 19.39 6.

Law Order NBC 18.88 7. The West Wing NBC 18.09 8. Every. Loves Raymond CBS 18.08 9. The Simpsons FOX 17.55 10.

Millionaire (Thur.) ABC 17.50 11. Temptation tstand FOX 17.47 12. Malcolm in ttK Middle FOX 17.03 13. Wilt Grace NBC 15.94 JAG CBS 15.94 15. MNItonaulFli.) ABC 15.93 16.

60 Minutes CBS 15 72 17. Friends (8:30 pm.) NBC 15.65 18. Tie Mole (Wed.) ABC 1541 19. Becker CBS 1506 20. Friends NBC 15.04 21.

Millionaire (Wed.) ABC 14.75 22. La Older SVU NBC 14.56 23. King ol Queens CBS 1389 24. AllyMcBeal FOX 13.85 25. ABC 1358 26.

Just Snoot Me NBC 1354 27. Boston Public FOX 1346 28. Providence NBC 13.36 29. The Mole ABC 1324 30. The tone Gunmen FOX 1323 31.

fraaet NBC 12.91 Ves, Dear CBS 12.91 33. Dateline: NBC (Mori.) NBC 12.78 34. Third Watcn NBC 12.66 35. Trie District CBS 12.63 36 Big Apple CBS 12.24 37. "Busti Speech Analyses" ABC 12.15 38 "Eraser" CBS 1183 39.

Funniest Home Videos ABC 11.75 40. 2020 (Fh.) ABC 1165 41. NYPD Blue ABC 11.62 42. Ed NBC 11.54 43. Touched by an Angel CBS 11.42 44.

Judging CBS 11.26 45. The Dm Carey Show ABC 11.05 46. "Bush Speech Analysis" CBS 1088 47. "The Women of Camelot" NBC 1080 48. Spin City ABC 10.53 49.

Pnmerjme Thursday ABC 10.50 50. Three Sfetes NBC 1049 51. Family Law CBS 10.41 8:30 a.m. 7:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

Net- Vlw- Program work 52. Dateline: NBC (Fri.) NBC 10.40 53. King of the Hill FOX 10.39 54. That 70s Show (Wed.) FOX 10.33 55. Grounded lor life FOX 1021 56.

Kate Brasher CBS 1013 57. That 70s Show FOX 1008 58. Diagnosis Murder CBS 980 59. America's Most Waffled FOX 9 74 60. Titus FOX 953 61.

Cops FOX 916 62. Dateline: NBC (Sun.) NBC 893 63. "Democratic Response" CBS 8.55 64. "Best Commercials 5" ABC 8.46 65. "The Birdcage" ABC 820 66 Cops FOX 811 67.

"Biblical Mysteries" NBC 806 68. Trial's ute CBS 8.02 69. Dateline: NBC (Tue.) NBC 7.99 70. 7tn Heaven WB 795 71. Futurama FOX 792 72.

"Miss USA Pageant" CBS 7.82 73. Whose Line Is It? (8:30) ABC 7.53 74. "Sanctuary" CBS 738 75. WWFSmackdown! UPN 734 76. Betle CBS 7.11 77.

"Some of My Best Friends" CBS 7.09 78 "Soldier" FOX 705 79. Whose line Is It Anyway? ABC 6 71 80 Two Guys and a GUI ABC 6.22 81. Norm ABC 601 Network Averages Here is the number of viewers that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. 0 KCBS The Price Is Right ITVG) (3) KEYT Martha Stewart 16991 EJ KNBC Men Are From Mars. Women Are From Venus 14533 0 KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael (TVPG) 76397 KABC 42! KESQ The View 61465 0 KCAL Judge Mathis (TVPG) 03 KTTV Power of Attorney 03 KCOP Montel Williams 11007 I24 KVCR Creative Living BO KCET Sesame Street 84571 B3 KMEX MartaSusana 19649 KMIR Dr.

Laura 275945 EE) KTBN Behind the Scenes B3 KVEA "Los Peluqueros" '96 1hr30 165656 BO KDOC Southland Today KJLA Bandazo Musical 68533 SO KLCS Working Together; Interactions: Real Math, Real Careers (10:15) ffl KRCA Cine Murder, She Wrote BRVO "Box of Moonlight" '96 (R)2hr45 15122026 CNN CNN Today COM The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (TVPG) 5289533 DSC Home Matters (TVG) DISN The Book of Pooh (TVY) The True Hollywood Story (TVPG) "Dr. Laura" 821649 ESPN2 Motorcycle Racing-EA Sports Supercrass Series. 8354674 FAM The 700 Club FSN2 Yoga Zone FX Beverly Hills, 90210 (TVPGI HGTV At the Auction HIST 20th Century (TVPG) LIFE Who Knows You Best? (TVPG) NICK Bob the Builder 177246 SCI-H Dark Shadows 6196638 TBS' Hunter TCM "Quality Street" '37 1hr24 36110842 (10:15) TLC A Dating Story (TVG) TNN Newhart(TVG TNTER(TV14) USA Doctor, Doctor VH1 Top 10 Countdown (TVPG) KCAL I Dream of Jeannie 03 KCOP 63 KADY Pepper Ann BO KCET Arthur 84002 S3 KPXN James Robison EE) KTBN Laverne and Edith Tripp BD KOCE Teletubbies 780668 BO KLCS Cursive Handwriting; Phonics in Context (8:45) AMC "All the President's Men" 76 (PG)2hr30 930533 BET Peter Popoff DISN Otter (TVY) El Fashion Emergency (TVG) ESPN2 RPM 2Night FAM Kids From Room 402 (TVY7) FSN Regional Sports Report FX MASH (TVPG) HBO "Entrapment" '99 (PG-13) 1hr52 881 378 HGTV Smart Solutions LIFE Designing Women (TVPG-D) NICK Rugrats 568552 TBS Cosby (TVPG) TCM 'The Enchanted Cottage" '45 1hr32 44615755 TLC NiNi's Treehouse (TVY) TMC "The Country Girl" '54 1hr44 891465 USA Carol Burnett and Friends week to dits ABC 12.62 million 13.01 CBS 12.58 12.67 NBC 11.96 12.14 FOX 10.48 10.04 WB 3.89 3.94 UPN 3.57 3.91 Lowry: Looking at 'Entertainment Tonight' 9:00 a.m. I3I KEYT News 0 KTLA The Nanny (TVPG) WM KABC News 03 KSCI Taiwan News KWHY The Cosby Show 24! KVCR Quilt in a Day BO KCET Teletubbies (TVY) 93571 i36l KMIR Real TV EE) KTBN Benny Hinn S3 KVEA Noticiero S3 KJLA Mexico Confidential SO KLCS Teen Issues; Teen Issues (11:45) BET 106 Park: BET's Top 10 Live COM Win Ben Stein's Money (TVPG) OISN Otter (TVY) ESPN Basketball- Big East Tournament: Seton Hal! vs. St.

John's. 359026 ESPN2 Soccer- UEFA Champions League: Milan AC vs. Galatasaray SK. 22897115 FAM It's ItsyBitsy Time (TVY) FSN Street Pace Film Festival HGTV Simply Quilts HIST Great Blunders in History NICK Little Bill 125723 TIC A Wedding Story (TVG) TNN The Wonder Years (TVG) USA Jesse (TVPG) Afternoon Noon 0 KCBS Woman 2 Woman 69910 KNBC Access Hollywood 61378 0 KTLA Little House on the Prairie KABC 3 KEYT All My Children TV1 4) 20587 0 KCAL News 03 KTTV Judge Hatchett (TVPG) 15736 03 KCOP Maury (TV1 4) 701 29 03 KSCI Mandarin Drama KWHY La Corte Familiar I24) KVCR Stokes Birds at Home BO KCET Caillou (TVY) 15378 B3 KMEX La Revancha 98571 36i KMIR The People's Court EE) KTBN The 700 Club 42: KESQ News S3 KVEA Cotorreando 18939 BO KDOC Ironside (TVPG-V) EH KJlAPelicula 50 KLCS In Focus KRCA Noticias S3I KADY Bloomberg Television Please see TV LOG F15 KCBS The Early Show 13858 a KNBC 36 KMIR Today 500991 El KTLA Morning News 57262 KABC 1 3 KEYT42 KESQ Good Morning America 55858 ED KTTV Good Day A. 13842 Kcopea kadybuzz Lightyear of Star Command 80736 KWHVBizbirije 43200 24 KVCR Time to Grow BD KCET Zoboomafoo 76552 S3 KPXN Employment Television HJ KMEX jDespierta America! EE) KTBN Rod Parsley KOCEReal Orange 929620 3 KVEA Esta Mariana 03 KDOC New Zoo Revue 585200 EB KJLA Shepherd's Chapel SO KLCS Learning English KRCA Nubeluz (TVY) 31842 AMC "One Night in the Tropics" '40 1hr30 91 5587 John Steinbeck: An American Writer (TVG) BET Feed the Children CNBC Market Watch 29668 CSPNU.S.

House of Representatives DISN Rolie Poiie Olie (TVY) El News Daily 919858 ESPN SportsCenter ESPN2 NCAA Final Four Highlights FAM Mary-Kate 8t Ashley (TVY) FSN Regional Sports Report FSN2 Gilad's Bodies in Motion FX MASH (TVPG) HBO "A Month by the Lake" '95 (PG)1hr32 817991 HGTV Decorating With Style HIST The Real West (TVG) IFC IFC Short Film Collection II (7:15) LIFE Denise Austin's Fit Lite MSNBC MSNBC Live 4666246 NICK Doug 714804 SCI-FI Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TVG) TBS Little House on the Prairie TLCSkinnamarinkTV(TVY) TNT CHiPs (TVPG) VH1 Morning Mix (TV14) 7:30 a.m. 0 KCAL Critter Gitters (TVG) IB KCOP S3 KADV Recess BO KSCIIran-Sima(Farsi) 25281 1241 KVCR Time to Grow BO KCET Clifford the Big Red Dog 68587 ED KTBN Marilyn Hickey S3 KOCE Martha's Sewing Room S3 KDOC Japanese News BD KLCS Clifford the Big Red Dog KCBS Martha Stewart 40587 El KTLA Sally Jessy Raphael (TVPG) 80125 a KABC! 31 KEYT HZ KESQ Live With Regis and Kelly 43787 0 KCAL Family Feud 03 KTTV Divorce Court (TVPG) 03 KCOP Maury (TVG) 77649 DO KSCI Kiss. Kiss, Kiss (Korean) KWHV "EICieloylaTierra" '62 2hr 94921 24 KVCR Sesame Street 82129 BO KCET Barney (TVY) (R 28842 EE) KTBN Dr. Cherry HD KOCE Instructional TV KVEA Monica 84587 KDOC Life in the Word 10:30 a.m. i BO KLCS Algebra in My World i 3077484 LA Law ED KTTV Power of Attorney (TVPG) 241 KVCR Sew Creative EE) KTBN Casey Treat SO KDOC June Cain Miller SO KLCS in Me: Entrepreneur in You; 3-2-1 Classroom Contact (10:45) BET Videolink COM Whose Line Is It Anyway? DISN Out of the Box (TVY) FNC NewsVester HBO "American Anthem" '86 (PG-13) 1hr42 8258991 HGTV Collectible Treasures LIFE Operation Style (TVPG) NICK Franklin 651216 SCI-FI Dark Shadows 2098842 SUND "East Palace.

West Palace" '97 1hr34 846378 TLC A Dating Story (TVG) TMC 'The Rugrats Movie" '98 (G)1hr20 428668 TNN NewhartfTVG) USA Ned and Stacey (TVPG-D) BET BET.com Countdown BRVO St. Elsewhere CNBC Power Lunch 93755 CNN Newsday DSC A Question of Race 2651 13 DISN Otter (TVY) Celebrity Homes ESPN Basketball- Big East Tournament: Villanova vs West Virginia. 946194 ESPN2 SportsCenter FAM It's ItsyBitsy Time (TVY) FNC NewsAsman FSN The Last Word 20200 RADIO Radio Station Guide All stations AM unless otherwise noted MUSIC: COUNTRY MUSIC: ADULT CONTEMPORARY porting on controversy surrounding CBS' "Survivor," from coverage of former contestant Stacey Stillman's lawsuit alleging the original show was rigged to last week's brouhaha about castaway Michael Skupin's injury and why footage of the accident wasn't broadcast. Given that "ET" has been around two decades with the Paramount logo affixed to it the whole time, one might argue the public is aware of that lineage; still, how many casual viewers understand the far-flung holdings under Viacom's domain, a connection seldom if ever revealed? Bob Steele, senior faculty and ethics group leader at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, said even if most viewers are indifferent to such conflicts which appears to be the case they should at least be disclosed.

"The public deserves to know this information," he said. "Even if some viewers don't want it, it's valuable information, upon which people can make decisions about journalistic quality and credibil-ity." In addition, Steele noted most viewers don't draw sharp distinctions between such magazine shows, local news and prime-time newsmagazines, meaning programs employing such a format should maintain a degree of journalistic professionalism and detachment, as opposed to promoting the equivalent of "our Mary Hart and Bob Goen's exclusive 'ET' sponge bath" with Russell Crowe and Julia Roberts. To those who say the public considers entertainment news fluff, Steele contends if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it ought to try waddling like one. "People see programs about information and entertainment as what they would call he said. Clearly, the appetite for entertainment news remains healthy, and news oudets function as promotional tools for parent networks so regularly these days that griping about broadcasting's lapses in journalistic etiquette often feels pointless.

Why bother to complain, after all, when the numbers speak for themselves, and no one wants to risk making a 600-pound gorilla angry. Brian Lowry's column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached by e-mail at brian.lowrylatimes Continued from Fl Perhaps for that reason, "Entertainment Tonight" has become extraordinarily self-referential in its old age. It's not so much about the stars anymore as how those stars interact with "ET's" talent who, of course, carry on like stars themselves, mugging with celebrities in the "ET Photo Booth" or sharing a laugh backstage in the "ET One on One Room." In this context, the show makes liberal use of the word "exclusive," as in "stay tuned for 'ET's' exclusive chat with Destiny's Child," which, at an event such as the Grammys, usually means "ET" talked to the group about 5 minutes before everyone else. The irony is that while "ET" goes about conveying this coziness with celebrities on screen, the franchise seems to relish throwing its weight around behind the cameras, striking fear in the hearts of publicists in what many describe from the safety of anonymity, of course as an arbitrary, almost childish sense of entidemenL Specifically, "ET" won't cover events unless promised "first position" in terms of where their cameras are situated along red-carpet arrival lines which makes sense, as a practical matter, only to the extent it ensures the show gets access to those few stars who might not pause for every camera crew along the way.

For the most part, though, the emphasis on "first position" is simply viewed as a way "ET" lords over "Access Hollywood" and other perceived rivals. As Pat Kingsley the head of PMK, a publicity firm with enough A-list clients to wield considerable clout itselfobserved: "If you go to any red carpet you'll see them first in line. In that regard, they're a 600-pound gorilla. The No. 1 show can command that." (In Hollywood, even 800-pound gorillas lie about their age and weight.) Kingsley added that this pattern is hardly confined to the entertainment programs but extends to morning or late-night shows, which, to varying degrees, insist on having guests first.

"Whoever's No. 1 can call the shots, and they do," she said. That said, publicists and entertainment reporters say "ET" is prone to unique moments of petulance, including recent backstage flare-ups at the Golden Globe and Soul Train Awards. "ET" will even leave an event, sources say, if staffers perceive the show is not given its due or "Access Hollywood" is treated too well. Linda Bell Blue, "ET's" executive producer, who took over the program in the mid-1990s after a stint at "Hard Copy," declined to be interviewed.

A spokeswoman said the decision was made at a corporate level by the distributor, Paramount, because "ET" is in the midst of a banner year ratings-wise and "our numbers speak for themselves." Unfortunately, even the ratings betray a certain schizophrenia. "ET" is easily the top-rated entertainment newsmagazine on a national basis, doubling the audience for "Extra" and "Inside Edition" with an even wider edge over "Access Hollywood" since the TV season began. Still, in Los Angeles, the world's entertainment capital, "ET" gets its clock cleaned. During the recent February rating sweeps, the show placed fifth among the seven local VHF stations in its time slot weeknights on KCBS at 7, behind "Extra" among others. "Access Hollywood" averaged almost 340,000 viewers a night locally, versus roughly 190,000 for "ET" a pattern that also held true in New York.

Granted, the CBS stations carrying "ET" in those cities are perennial also-rans in the ratings, but one would think the show has been around long enough to compensate for that handicap. "You get the rest of the country with 'ET' and you get the big markets with us," said "Access Hollywood" executive producer Rob SU-verstein. "There's no monopoly anymore. We deliver the big markets." The final problem, and potentially the most troubling, involves possible conflicts, which have increased since Viacom acquired CBS, putting Paramount and CBS under the same vast corporate umbrella. "ET" has dismissed that any favoritism is shown toward sister entities or its parent company, just as "Access" pooh-poohs the fact it is produced by NBC.

"We report the good news about NBC and the bad news about NBC and nobody has ever said to us, 'Don't report this, don't report Silver-stein said. Yet even in the industry, few people seem to entirely believe that. There has been muttering, for example, that "Access" has been more aggressive than "ET" in re KZ1A-FM ...939 RELIGIOUS KBRT 740 KFRN 1280 KFSG-fM. .963 KKUVFM .99.5 KLTX 1390 KIVM 1460 KWVE-FM .107.9 FAMILY KDtS 710 FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH KBIfi-fM ..104.3 NK'FM 94.3 KUT-ffl ...92 7 NM.T-M...27 KVSftM .98.7 MUSK: CUSSICAl KCPB-W ..911 105.1 KUSC-fM .91.5 MUSIC: JAZZ BIG BAND POP STANDARDS KIAZ 1260 KIAC 570 KLON-FM. .88.1 XIAZ 540 MUSIC: ROCK 102.7 I0.0S-FM...95.5 KROQ-fM .106.7 KSPC-fM.

.88.7 KUCt-FM ...889 KU1HM .88 9 MUSIC: ROCK OLDIES KCBS-FM ..931 KCMG-FM .92.3 NEWS 4 TRAFFIC KFWS 980 KNX 1070 PUBIC RADIO KCRW-FM ..899 KCSN-FM ..885 .89.3 KPFK-FM .90.7 MUSIC: URBAN CONTEMPORARY KBCD-FM .103.1 Mil 900 KBUMM ..943 K8UE-FM 105.5 KHI 930 Klrr-fM 107.1 KLVE-FM 107.5 KNSC 1510 KRCO-FM .103.9 WtTO-FM. .98.3 101.9 5 KTNQ 1020 7 KWRM 1370 XPRS 1090 FOREIGN LANGUAGE: OTHER KA2N 1300 KBIA 1580 KEZY 1240 URN 670 KVMSfll .106 3 KXMX 1190 TALK-INTERVIEW Tips for Today Noon-l p.m. Let's Do Lunch: Violinist Julian Rachlin is a guest, KCSN-FM (88.5). p.m. Talk of the City: "State of L.A." p.m.): "Breast Feeding" p.m.): highlights repeated, 9-10 p.m., KPCC-FM (89.3).

9- 9:30 p.m., a.m. Dragnet: Sgt. Friday (lack Webb) searches for a man whose "con" takes a life (originally broadcast Feb. 7, 1952), KNX (1070). 10 p.m.-mldnight Chicago Symphony: Franz Welser-Most conducts Ades Brahms (Violin Concerto in violinist Gil Shaham); Schumann (2nd Symphony), KMZT-FM (105.1).

Drama-Comedy-Family p.m., a.m. The Whistler A man's marital affair turns deadly (originally broadcast July 2, 1950), KNX (1070). Classical 8-9 i.in. Commuter Classic: Tchaikovsky 1812," Oslo Philharmonic). KMZT-FM (105.1).

10- 11 a.m. Morning Symphony. Ravel Goose," Montreal Symphony Orchestra), KCSN-FM (88.5). 1 1:10 a. Masterpiece of the Day: Bruch for Violin and Orchestra," violinist Salvatore Accardo, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra), KMZT-FM (105.1).

8-10 p.m. Evening Conceit With John Maucerl: Tchaikovsky (Piano Concerto No. 2, pianist Mikhail Pletnev), KMZT-FM (105.1). Country-Folk-Jazz-Pop 1-2 p.m. Mid-Day lazz: "Gerald Wiggins," KLON-FM (88.1).

Rock-Urban 8-10 p.m. Rhapsody in Black, doo-wop. KPFK-FM (90.7). p.m.-Rockline, KCBS-FM (93.1). 10 p.m.-mldnlght Chocolate City, urban rhythm soul, KCRW-FM (89.9).

a.m. Music From Your Own Back Yard. KROQ-FM 1 06.7). News-Commentary 1-2 p.m. To the Point: "Cold War Still Hot?" KCRW-FM (89.9).

p.m. The Politics of Culture: .790 KH 640 .830 KR1A 870 KABC. WIS KJIH-FM 102.3 KKBT-FM 100.3 KPWR-FM 105.9 TAUt SPORTS .1540 KSFN 1110 KXTA 1150 KMK xnu "The Life and Work of Rudolf Schindler," KCRW-FM (89.9). Sports Noon-3 p.m. Baseball: exhibition.

Angels vs. Chicago Cubs. KLAC (570). 5-8 p.m. Baseball: exhibition, Florida Marlins vs.

Dodgers. KXTA 1 150). p.m. Pro Basketball: Toronto Raptors at Lakers, KLAC (570), KWKW (1330). p.m.

Pro Hockey: Montreal Canadiens at Mighty Ducks, XTRA (690). Talk-Interview 9-11 a-m. Larry Mantle's Airtalk, highlights repeated 7-9 p.m.. KPCC-FM (89.3). 9 a.m.-noon Rush Lunbaugh, KFI (640).

9 Drew Mariani, KPLS (830). 9 a.m.-noon Dennis Prager, KRLA (870). 10 a.m.1 p.m. AI Rantel, KABC (790). 1 1 a.m.-noon Sam Rubin, KLSX-FM (97.1).

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

Noon-3 p.m. Laura Schlessinger, KFI (640). Noon-3 p.m. Michael Medved, KRLA (870). Noon-3 p.m.

Frosty, Heidi and Frank. KLSX-FM (97.1). Noon-3 p.m. AI Kresta, KPLS (830). 1-3 p.m.

Allrtd ft Taylor, KABC (790). 3-4 p.m. Clark Howard. KFI (640). www.latimes.complacead 1-800-234-4444, ext.

77291 0 L08 ATtflCtM (iimM latimes.com.