Rapid City Journal from Rapid City, South Dakota • 28

I V-4 the Rapid City Journal Friday, April 26,1985 Television 'Dynasty' edges 'Dallas' as top show for season Who's number At IMW sions," a serial about the struggles of a shipbuilding family. In an Interview with The Associated Press, ABC Entertainment President Lewis H. Erlicht didn't mention those two Spelling shows when he talked about ABC's new commitment to more realistic programs with characters who are more Identifiable to audiences. "We must revolutionize our programming, take more chances. I think you're going to see next season the diversity, uniqueness and better quality of our product," Erlicht said, noting as an example ABC's "Moonlighting." a midseason detective series that received some critical praise.

Another part of ABC's new programming strategy and attitude includes Improving the network's relations with TV's top writers and producers, some of whom complained about ABC's arrogance in business and program began the 1984-85 campaign. "Cosby" was third with a 24.2 rating, but the comedy, which stressed togetherness and a happy family, actually surged past the two hit soaps, which stressed the back-biting within two rich families, for the 1985 year alone. Since January, "Cosby" averaged a 26.9 rating to a 24.9 for "Dynasty" and a 24.5 for "Dallas." Last year, no full-season situation comedy was in the Top 10. The rest of this season's Top 10, In descending order, included CBS' "60 Minutes," the most successful news show In history, in fourth with a 22.2 rating, followed by NBC's "Family Ties" (22.1), NBC's "The A-Team" (21.9). CBS' "Simon Simon" (21.8), CBS' "Knots Landing" (20.2).

CBS' "Murder, She Wrote" (20.1), and CBS' "Falcon Crest" and CBS' midseason hit, "Crazy Like A Fox." tied for 10th with a 19.9 rating. Despite the success of the sexy Fred Rothenberg AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) In the cliffhanger battle of the soaps, ABC's "Dynasty" edged CBS' "Dallas" by three tenths of a point to become the top-rated scries of the 30-week prime-time season, according to final figures released Tuesday by the A.C. Nielsen Co. The "Dynasty" victory, its first In four seasons on the air, was more for prestige, power and glory than advertising dollars since the 1984-85 ratings of the two series were essentially the same. "Dynasty" finished with a 25.0, while "Dallas," the winner three of the past four seasons, had a 24.7.

A rating measures the percentage of the nation's 84.9 million TV homes watching, on average, a given minute of prime time. So the Carringtons, with an average tune-in audience of 21.2 million homes, had a very slight advantage over the Ewings, who were seen in 21 million homes. serials "Dynasty," "Dallas." "Knots Landing" and "Falcon Crest," network programmers believe the audience has reached Its saturation point with prime-time soaps. None has been successfully Introduced since "Falcon Crest" in 1981, and very few are In pilot development for next season. CBS, which failed last season with "Emerald Point, N.A.S.." has none in the wings, according to Harvey Shephard, senior vice president for programming.

NBC, which failed with "The Yellow Rose" last season and "Berrenger's" this season, has Just one "The Covenant," about a sinister banking family. i "If this one fails I'll have to give up the ghost," said Brandon Tartikoff, president of NBC Entertainment. ABC has several serials In development, and has commitments from executive producer Aaron Spelling to show two of them: "Dynasty II: The Colby's," a spinoff, and "Dark Man 'Cosby Show' seems to be changing face of prime-time Fred Rothenberg AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) "The Cosby Show," which brought a big smile to NBC by helping turn around its ratings fortunes, also seems to be changing the face of prime-time television for next season. "I think you'll see more sitcoms emphasized, at the expense of action-adventure," Dave Poltrack, CBS vice president for research, said Tuesday after the A.C. Nielsen season-ending prime-time ratings results were released, reflecting significant changes in network viewing habits.

Last season, no comedy was In the Top 10. This season, "Cosby" and NBC's "Family Ties" were Top 10 shows, while NBC's "Cheers" (12th) and "Night Court" (19th) and CBS' "Newhart" (16th) and "Kate Allie" (17th) cracked the Top 20. NBC, with more comedies than the other two networks, vacated the ratings cellar for the first time in a decade, leaving ABC in third for the first time since the 1974-75 season. CBS was first for the sixth consecutive season with an average rating of 16.9 to NBC's 16.2 and ABC's 15.4. There was no suspense surrounding the overall three-network race, which has been a foregone conclusion for several months, with CBS winning for the sixth consecutive time with a average rating of 16.9, down from last season's 18.1.

NBC, rising from the ratings basement for the first time in a decade, was the only network to Increase viewers, averaging a 16.2 rating, an Improvement of 1.1 million TV homes. NBC, with an edge in the young-adult viewers preferred by most advertisers, finished closer to first than third. ABC, losing 1.9 million homes for the season, averaged a 15.4 prime-time rating and finished third for the only time since the 1974-75 season. Overall, network viewing was down about 3 percent. The combined prime-time average totaled 48.5 this season, 50.2 last season.

NBC's "The Cosby Show" was the major hit among the 22 new shows that Top new programs of 1985 season The Bill Cosby Show Highway to Heaven Murder, She Wrote Miami Vice Crazy Like a Fox (CBS), was Introduced In January, 1985 Only NBC gained audiences from a year ago, while the three-network rating dipped below 50 percent (48.5) for the first time ever. The rating measures the percentage of the nation's 84.9 million tuned to the networks. ABC's "Dynasty" was the season's No. 1 series, with a 25.0 rating, edging its rival nighttime soap, CBS' "Dallas," ratings and was confirmed in the February 1985 ratings. Both ratings services, Arbitron and Nielsen, say the station's average Monday through Friday prime time audiences attract roughly the same number of viewers.

Broadcasters and advertising executives warn that ratings numbers are for public consumption. Advertisers, depending on the demographic group they want to reach and cost, choose individual time slots. "In the past we've been to the point (of catching KOTA) but we always dropped back in two or three (ratings) books," said KEVN manager Ray Moser. "Now everything came out pretty evenly." Loos said KOTA is still dominant because, with its Sheridan, Wyo. and Scottsbluff, Neb.

satellites, it reaches more households than KEVN. "The ratings situation is following a typical pattern. (They) come much closer together," he said. "Then people begin to decide their favorites." And Steve Montgomery of Tri-Ad Advertising in Rapid City says KOTA, the first TV station in western South Dakota, still has the edge overall because of it's longevity. "But I would say their lead is diminishing," he said.

Moreover, Craft and Greg Koenig of Fleming, Severson Co. say KOTA is still more popular with advertisers because its advertising rates are generally lower than KEVN's. markets, bond action. Lots of things for lots A mi MiamlVice Wy Who's No. CBS or NBC? NEW YORK (AP) The 30-week prime-time season is over.

The television junkies' chant is Just beginning: "Who's No. Who's No. CBS and Nielsen point to CBS, which won the household ratings race for the sixth year In a row. CBS had the most viewers and more shows in the Top 10 than either of the other networks. And CBS had enormous loyalty with the Geritol set.

Most advertising executives, however, support NBC. NBC won the demographics derby by having the most elite viewers and more shows popular with younger consumers. NBC earned the Yuppie vote. "In actuality, NBC did better because they ended up getting more younger people, but CBS won the season because it won on households," said Marilyn Fisher, vice president and director of broadcast services for the Marschalk ad agency. Would ABC care to break the tie? "Anything I would say would sound like sour grapes," said Lewis H.

Erlicht, president of ABC Entertainment. "I just know it wasn't us." The high-profile prime-time competition ended Sunday. The ratings results measuring the percentage of the nation's 84.9 million TV homes watching, on average, a given minute of a network's prime-time schedule have been a foregone conclusion for weeks: CBS, first and slipping, NBC, second and soaring, and ABC, third and fading. CBS, on the strength of Top 10 serials "Dallas," "Falcon Crest" and "Knots Landing" and high-rated perennials "60 Minutes" and "Simon Simon," was No. 1 again.

Throughout the season, CBS was either first or a close second on Monday, Thursday, riday, oaiui uay auu aiuiua iiigius. Through 29 weeks, CBS' average prime-time rating was 16.9, down markedly from last season's 18.1. The network placed seven series in the 10 top shows with people over 50. Three were on Sunday: "Murder, She Wrote," CBS' only hit from its new fall series, and "Crazy Like A Fox," TV's only second-season success. But in the category of adults aged 18 to 49, advertising's most coveted viewers, only "Simon Simon" cracked the Top 10, and only "60 Minutes" was among the 10 favorite shows with males 18-49.

"CBS is not No. 1," said John Sisk, senior vice president and director of network negotiating for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency. "They're still solid, but not as strong as they once were." Sisk noted that when advertisers buy time on network TV, most deals are based on reaching adults 18-49. Harvey Shephard, CBS' senior vice president for said leading in households reflects across-the-board strength.

"All the consumer brand studies look at the total picture," he said. "You can't say that 18-34 is more important than 50-64." Asked which is more important, leadership in households or leadership in adult demographics, Brandon Tar-tikoff, president of NBC Entertainment, had a surprising answer. "It's a hypothetical question, but I'd have to say households. I like to win. I want the Super Bowl.

Grant Tinker (the NBC chairman) would probably say demographics because that's where malra tha mrtcf mnnov Rut a mnra i u. interesting question is if you asked me whose cards would I rather be holding next season, I'd rather be holding NBC's." NBC believes its prime-time success will mean the network will surpass CBS in total ad billings at the beginning of the 1985-86 season. "NBC is only hitting its stride," said Sisk. "Next year, I think NBC will tie CBS in households and beat them in demographics." Switch in network affiliations has put KOTA and KEVN near parity The networks announce their new schedules the first two weeks in May. Don't expect any talking orangutans or aliens from Ork, they say.

'Cosby will spawn more reality-based comedies," said Harvey Shephard, CBS' senior vice president for programming. Brandon Tartikoff, president of NBC Entertainment, said it would be impossible to make a "Cosby" clone without Bill Cosby, but that the success of "Cosby" and Michael Landon's family drama "Highway to Heaven" and the immediate failure of ABC's soapy "Paper Dolls" suggested some significant viewer feedback. "Viewers were looking for more shows with characters who feel like everyday people," said Tartikoff. "People were satiated by glitz and glamour and were looking for shows that were identifiable and had strong emotional connections." Lewis H. Erlicht, ABC's entertainment president, said his network would change Its programming and strive for more realistic series.

Despite the trend toward realism, the serial dramas remained the most successful program format, averaging a illr BRING in fresh green! Sell good things you don't need with Classified Ads. Call 348-3500. G3GOllffiB 0GGH? which had ruled the roost three of the past four seasons. "Dallas" averaged a 24.7 rating. "The Cosby Show," the highest rated new show since "Mork Mindy" six seasons ago and the most popular series since January, finished the full 1984-85 season as the No.

3 show, with a 24.2 rating. Among the 22 new series introduced last fall, only "Murder, She Wrote" and NBC's "Cosby Show," "Highway to Heaven" and "Miami Vice" were considered successes. "Crazy Like A Fox" was the only midseason winner. As more proof of "Cosby's" appeal, the final week of the regular season (April 15-21). which CBS won with NBC and then ABC next was led by a repeat of "The Cosby Show," which had a 26.Q rating, higher than the season average for any show.

"'Cosby' threw a halo around the whole network," said John Sisk, senior vice president of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. Programmers for the three networks are evaluating 75 pilots for possible series next season, and they say that realism and contemporary characters both in comedy and drama are hot. The most dramatic movement in the local TV ratings is in the news shows. KOTA's news program has long been the most popular in the market.

In February of 1984, Arbitron said more than twice as many people watched KOTA's Newsline 5:30 p.m. segment than KEVN's. Now Newsline and KEVN's Action News are in a see-saw battle for the top spot. The November Nielsen ratings showed KEVN on top at both 5 30 and 10 p.m. in the metro area, which includes Pennington, Meade and Lawrence counties.

In February, Nielsen said KEVN's audience dropped slightly in the metro area while KOTA increased its audience and regained the top spot. Montgomery said KEVN's stronger NBC programs, including the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, have helped Action News build a larger audience. People are trying Action News because of the popular NBC programs preceding the news. Loos of KOTA agrees: "ABC was not as well known as the NBC News. (ABC anchor man Peter) Jennings is not as well known." He said KOTA is promoting Jennings and ABC News more.

KEVN officials and advertising executives say KEVN's news product has also improved, helping the station compete with KOTA at 5: 30 and 10 p.m. of people in theRapidCityJournal 19.5 rating. General dramas, such as "Highway to Heaven" and "Murder, She Wrote," Improved their performance this season, while action-adventure shows, which made up nearly one-third of the network schedule, declined from an average rating of 17.0 to 15.9. With each network having two movie nights a week, TV movies dropped from an average rating of 17.7 last season to 16.2 in 1984-85. The films performing best were the ones dealing with major social Issues, such as the No.

1 "Burning Bed" (wife beating), "Consenting Adult" (homosexuality) and "Silence of the Heart" (teen-age suicide). Miniseries fell from an average rating of 22.0 to 18.8, while theatrical movies, which often play first on pay cable, dropped to an average 14.4 rating.The strongest films were comedies. "Victor Victoria," for example, was the season's top-rated theatrical film. "I think we'll let the airline audiences tell us which movies work," joked Poltrack. QOOOOOOOOKjiit riiAitTi ir-rtkil -II NORTHERN HILLS CINEMA No.

1 THE BREAKFAST 7k CLUBQ 7:00 fj broke ruI''Q 9 No. 2 7:00 9:00 All ha needed was a lucky break. kl BnSV Secret Of N' The lost Legend AMADEtlS WINNER! 8 0 Xrjt Academy Awards 0 Sei ELD No. 4 7:13 Only 5:00 1:00 Sun. Dolby 5:00 Shows Sun.

Only Bargain Movies Adults $2. Child $1 He'a VI about to become a hero. Vf Night Patrol" 1 I "Ha Centers' 1 fZ. tt MM" l.wJ Open I 1 Sun- I Gates I Open 4:30 Vs; Show I i fRl A Plus J.D. Ames Business Editor By switching to ABC, a network with declining ratings, long dominant KOTA has approached parity with its Rapid City television rival, KEVN.

"It wasn't what KOTA had thought would happen," said Steve Lyon of Lyon Advertising. Last June, KOTA dropped NBC and became an ABC affiliate. Bill Duhamel, president of Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises, owner of KOTA, said at the time, "The NBC trend is going down, the ABC trend is going up." But the national trend has gone the other way. NBC has replaced ABC as the second-rate network, behind CBS, in the national ratings. "They dumped NBC when NBC was on its way up and took ABC on its way down," said Terry Craft of Collegiate Marketing.

"KEVN has caught up with KOTA. Neither one is dominant." Monte Loos, operations manager at KOTA, said, "I guess we were disappointed with the ABC's performance." Capital Cities recently bought the network and Loos said that eventually will improve ABC's performance. "Cap Cities has a very excellent management team." Duhamel was unavailable for comment. The parity between the two stations first surfaced in the November 1984 otocks Stock exchange transactions, commodity Rain or shine, we can help you summer. Happy selling! DdUro) i ml WMMm mmm Jk Wiiiii o3 mm with your rummage sale this II II MM is.