Daily News from New York, New York • 619

CBS tips NBC as audiemce drops By RICHARD HUFF DAlUf NEWS STAFF WRITER A return to first-run programming on Thursday wasn't enough to power NBC past CBS for the weekly Nielsen crown, but it did make the race a close one. ABC averaged 10,410,000 viewers while Fox drew 8,260,000. Meanwhile, the WB had 3,740,000 viewers and UPN 3,630,000. The broadcast networks combined continued to suffer from the seasonal audience decline that occurs this time of year, when reruns become regular fare and viewers are a bit more nomadic while watching the small screen. Indeed, last week the networks drew week, averaging narrowly beating 12,850,000 viewers.

CBS won the 13,030,000 homes, NBC's average of 59 of the audience available in prime time, down from their seasonal average of 63. An original episode of "ER" was the top-ranked program last week, averaging 29,149,000 viewers. "ER" was followed by "Frasier," which averaged 28,545,000 viewers. The Peacock Network's Thursday schedule occupied the top five spots on the list of most-watched shows. "60 Minutes," at No.

6 with 19,381,000 viewers, continues to be CBS most-watched program. "Monday Night Football," with 18,761,000 viewers, was ABC's top show at No. 7. Fox got its best numbers with "Ally Mc-Beal," which averaged 14,399,000 viewers to finish No. 17.

"WWF Smackdown" averaged 6,663,000 viewers, to finish No. 86, and as UPN's most-watched show. And The WB's "Seventh Heaven," averaging 6,431,000 viewers, was that network's best show. So far this season despite the ABC win during the November sweeps period, NBC is out in front, averaging 13,500,000 viewers. CBS is second with 13,170,000 viewers, followed by ABC with 12,440,000 viewers.

Fox has 9,160,000 viewers, the WB claims 4,090,000, and UPN averages 3,860,000. In the evening-news race, NBC's "Nightly News with Tom Brokaw" averaged 11,279,000 viewers to take the weekly crown. ABC's "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" averaged 10,659,000 viewers. And CBS' "Evening News with Dan Rather" averaged 9,208,000 viewers. I II IHIAIMlfei In the rankings below, for the week of Dec.

13-19, the program is followed by its network and then the number of viewers it attracted, in millions. Repeated rankings indicate a tie. fit i "Sdsm hWi I i si 1. ER (NBC) 29.15 2. FRASIER (NBC) 28.55 3.

FRIENDS (NBC) 22.43 4 STARK RAVING MAD (NBC) 20.85 5. JESSE (NBC) 19.42 6 60 MINUTES (CBS) 19.38 LAW AND ORDER (NBC) 19.29 8. MNF: BRONCOS JAGUARS (ABC) 18.76 50 TO 70 OFF ENTIRE WAREHOUSE 9 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (CBS) 18.52 I 10. TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL (CBS) 16.84 11. BECKER (CBS) 16.81 12.

MOVIE: MIRACLE ON 17th STREET (CBS) 16.72 13 JAG (CBS) 16.02 14. JUDGING AMY (CBS) 15.70 i IS. PROVIOENCE (NBC) 14.96 lb. KINIi UC OUttlMS (UBS) 14. 17.

ALLY McBEAL (FOX) 14.40 Single Double Breasted 0) t-: i 'Mints 62. COSBY (CBS) 8.92 63. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW (ABC) 8.82 64. THE HUGHLEYS (ABC) 8.69 65. SPIN CITY (ABC) 8.51 66.

SNOOPS (ABC) 8.48 66. WHOSE UNE IS IT ANYWAY (8:30) (ABC) 8.48 68. BECKER (WED.) (CBS) 8.47 69. COPS (FOX) 8.44 70. THAT '70s SHOW (FOX) 8.43 71.

OH GROW UP (ABC) 8.24 72. CHICAGO HOPE (CBS) 8.22 73. GREED 1 (FOX) 8.18 74. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (FOX) 8.17 75. BEVERLY HILLS.

90210 (FOX) 8.08 76. KING OF THE HILL (FOX) 8.07 77. 2020 DOWNTOWN (ABC) 7.48 78. 48 HOURS (CBS) 7.39 79. BOY MEETS WORLD (ABC) 7.28 80.

WHOSE UNE IS IT ANYWAY? (ABC) 7.26 81. VERONICA'S CLOSET (NBC) 7.17 81. ODD MAN OUT (ABC) 7.17 83. RADIO CITY MUSIC REOPENS (NBC) 6.94 84. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IX (ABC) 6.82 85.

ONCE AND AGAIN (ABC) 6.68 86. WWF SMACKDOWN! (UPN) 6.66 86. SUDDENLY SUSAN (NBC) 6.66 88. ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS (NBC) 6.55 89. 7th HEAVEN (WB) 6.43 90.

OLIVE, THE OTHER REINDEER (FOX) 6.06 91. BUFFY, THE SLAYER (WB) 5.97 92. ALLY (FOX) 5.96 93. WORLD'S FUNNIEST 2 (FOX) 5.94 94. MARIAH CAREY'S HOMECOMING (FOX) 5.90 95.

TIME OF YOUR LIFE (FOX) 5.84 96. ANGEL (WB) 5.64 97. PJs (FOX) 5.53 98. GET REAL (FOX) 5.38 99. THAT '70s SHOW (FRI.) (FOX) 5.35 100.

THE PARKERS (UPN) 4.30 101. STAR TREK: VOYAGER (UPN) 4.21 102. DAWSON'S CREEK (WB) 3.96 103. CHARMED (WB) 3.87 104. WORLD'S FUNNIEST (FOX) 3.76 105.

MOESHA (UPN) 3.74 106. GROWN UPS (UPN) 3.56 107. ROSWELL (WB) 3.48 108. FELICITY (WB) 3.43 108. 7 DAYS (UPN) 3.43 110.

MALCOLM EDDIE (UPN) 3.21 111. STEVE HARVEY (9:00) (WB) 3.11 112. 7th HEAVEN (9:00) (WB) 2.99 112. FOR YOUR LOVE (WB) 2.99 114. STEVE HARVEY (WB) 2.86 115.

JACK ft JILL (WB) 2.77 116. JAMIE FOXX (WB) 2.43 117. SHASTA McNASTY (UPN) 2.35 118. POPULAR (WB) 2.34 119. DILBERT (UPN) 2.16 120.

SAFE HARBOR (WB) 2.08 121. THE STRIP (UPN) 1.95 122. MOVIE: MILLENNIUM MAN (UPN) 187 FREE 3 Shirts 3 Ties 18. WEST WING (NBC) 14.24 19. NFL SHOWCASE (ABC) 14.12 20 DREW CAREY (ABC) 13.94 21 LADIES MAN (CBS) 13.21 22.

DHARMA GREG (ABC) 12.84 23. DATELINE (MON.) (NBC) 12.77 24. DATELINE (TUE.) (NBC) 12.62 25. DATELINE (FRI.) (NBC) 12.57 26. FRASIER (TUE.) (NBC) 12.51 27.

THE SIMPSONS (FOX) 12.48 28. FUTURAMA (FOX) 12.45 29. DATELINE (WED.) (NBC) 12.42 30. WALKER, TEXAS RANGER (CBS) 12.34 31. FAMILY LAW (CBS) 12.26 32.

WILL GRACE (NBC) 12.02 33. DIAGNOSIS MURDER (CBS) 12.01 34. NORM (ABC) 11.98 35. 60 MINUTES II (CBS) 11.95 36. NASH BRIDGES (CBS) 11.86 37.

2020 (FRI.) (ABC) 11.70 38. THE PRACTICE (ABC) 11.51 39. MOVIE: A CRIME OF PASSION (CBS) 11.33 40. SPORTS NIGHT (ABC) 11.19 i 41. MOVIE: BABE (ABC) 10.75 42.

2020 (MON.) (ABC) 10.68 43 X-FILES (FOX) 10.62 44. GREED 2 (FOX) 10.55 .45. MOVIE: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (NBC) 10.52 46. 3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN (NBC) 10.46 47. TWO GUYS AND A GIRL (ABC) 10.29 i 48.

NOW AND AGAIN (CBS) 10.02 49. MARTIAL LAW (CBS) 10.00 i 50. 2020 (WED.) (ABC) 9.89 St. MOVIE: THE PREACHER'S WIFE (ABC) 9.82 si r' 52. DATELINE (SUN.) (NBC) 9.73 53.

JUST SHOOT ME (NBC) 9.61 54. LAW AND ORDER (FRI.) (NBC) 9.59 55. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (FOX) 9.50 56. SABRINA, TEENAGE WITCH (ABC) 9.43 57. COPS 2 (FOX) 9.38 58.

EARLY EDITION (CBS) 9.32 59. KIDS SAY DARNDEST THINGS (CBS) 9.21 60. LAW AND ORDER: SVU (NBC) 9.05 61. CANDID CAMERA (CBS) 9.04 Italian Designer Latest Styles Suits 2 fa Designer Suits Sizes 36-60 $149 FREE 2 Shirts 2 Ties Suits Sizes 36-62 2 fa $1S9 FREE 2 Shirts 2 Ties Single or Double Breasted Raincoats with zipout lining Designer Tuxedos Wool Overcoats now $QG now 69 48 only STJVS, JEEP'S, LEXUS, CAMBY'S AND MORE! Thousands of 100 Wool Dress Slacks SiCHARGE-OFFDEFAULT SIRE-ESTABLISH YOUR CREDIT El WELL GET YOU APPROVED SS FIRST TIME BUYERS 13 SINGLEDIVORCED SLOW PAY, NO PAY G) BANKRUPTCIES Thousands of Wool Sport Jackets Made In Italy Thousands of Portly Suits Sizes 36 to 60 BUY 1 SUIT GET 1 FREE 2 for 50 CALL OUR 24 HOUR CREDIT LINE toll oww ATTnrn a-o car FREE mm SPEAK TO OUR CREDIT SPECIALIST MR. A OK CALL AND Se Habla it 1-818-603-7193 Espanol 'Ullf 1 UBCWCT -mr Down Payment may va'y doperdrtq on seventy creoi Bankruptcies usi De q'scnarggd.