NEW YORK -- CBS landed its 'Miss USA Beauty Pageant' in the Nielsen's top slot last week, but ABC countered with its usual prime time line-up, bolstered by a fifth-place win for 'Inside the Third Reich, Part II.' The result -- a virtual tie.
Even with its epic 'Marco Polo' in third place, NBC could not escape from the basement.
ABC, which tied the 22 rating earned by the CBS beauty pageant with 'Too Close for Comfort,' losing only by two share points, held a slender edge for the week with a rating of 15.4 and an audience share of 27. CBS was 15.2 and 27 and NBC held its usual third place at 13.2 and 24.
The CBS 'Evening News' led news ratings again at 11.2 and 24. ABC's 'World News Tonight' was a close second at 10.6 and 23 and NBC's 'Nightly News' was a distant third at 9.0 and 20.
The top 10 programs for the week ending May 16, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., were:
l. Miss USA Beauty Pageant (CBS).
2. Too Close for Comfort (ABC).
3. Marco Polo, Part I (NBC).
4. Three's Company (ABC).
5. Inside the Third Reich, Part II (ABC).
6. Magnum, P.I. (CBS).
7. 60 Minutes (CBS).
8. Hart to Hart (ABC).
9. The Jeffersons (CBS).
10. Trapper John (CBS).
