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TV Ratings : ‘Gypsy’ Pays Off for CBS, but ABC Takes Weekly Race

CBS had something to sing about Tuesday: Its extraordinary gamble of putting a Broadway musical in prime time paid off handsomely in the ratings. With Bette Midler in the lead role, “Gypsy” attracted viewers in 17.5 million homes Sunday night and ranked as the No. 4 program of the week, according to A. C. Nielsen Co. data.

Competing against two well-traveled feature films--”National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on ABC and “E.T.” on NBC--”Gypsy” drew 28% of the available viewers. On the down side, though, it garnered only 17% of the audience in the 18-49 age range that most advertisers covet; ABC’s Chevy Chase comedy got 24% of that crowd.

But ABC was crowing too, because it won the weekly prime-time race, with six programs in the Top 10. It was ABC’s fifth win in the 12-week-old season.

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The sleighful of Christmas specials last week got a mixed reception. “Christmas Vacation” ranked 11th among the week’s 90 network entries, and CBS’ “Frosty the Snowman” came in 15th. But Kenny Rogers’ holiday show was 53rd, Neil Diamond’s was 60th and David Foster’s was 77th.

Southland Ratings Here are A. C. Nielsen’s Top 10 prime-time programs in the Los Angeles area during the same week. Each rating point equals 50,064 households.

Program Station Rating 1. 60 Minutes KCBS 20.7 2. Seinfeld KNBC 18.2 3. “Barbara Walters Presents” KABC 17.9 4. The Simpsons KTTV 17.9 5. Home Improvement KABC 16.9 6. “Gypsy” KCBS 16.5 7. Coach KABC 15.7 8. Roseanne KABC 15.3 9. 20/20 KABC 15.2 10.Grace Under Fire KABC 15.0

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Weekly Averages

ABC: 12.9

CBS: 12.2

NBC: 9.8

FOX: 6.9

Season to Date

CBS: 13.2

ABC: 12.8

NBC: 11.3

FOX: 7.2

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