NEW YORK -- ABC won the prime time ratings race for the third consecutive week last week with five of its shows in the top 10. NBC was runner-up and CBS finished third.
The season's premiere of NBC's 'The A Team' was the No. 1 rated show for the week ending Sept. 25.
ABC followed up with programs in the second through fifth spots. The premiere of its series 'Hotel' was the No. 2 show and the second episode of its new comedy-detective series 'Hardcastle and McCormick,' which was the No. 1 show the previous week, was the No. 4 show last week.
CBS' rerun of the last episode of 'M-A-S-H' placed ninth in the ratings race.
The A.C. Nielsen's National Television Index for the week gave ABC a 17.5 rating with a 29 percent share of the viewing audience; NBC a 15.4 rating with a 26 share and CBS a 14.3 rating with a 24 share.
Early evening news figures gave 'CBS Evening News with Dan Rather' a 12.7 rating and a 24 percent share, 'NBC Nightly News' a 10.4 rating and a 20 share and ABC' 'World News Tonight' a 9.6 and a 19 share.
NBC said it was the only network to show an improvement in its ratings during the 1982-83 season compared to its previous season. The network said it had a 3 percent gain in the ratings, while ABC and CBS both dropped 4 percent.
The top 10 programs for the week ending Sept. 25, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co.:
1. The A Team (NBC)
2. Hotel (ABC)
3. Love Boat (ABC)
4. Hardcastle and Mccormick (ABC)
5. Fall Guy (ABC)
6. RemRD:ton Steele (NBC)
7. ABC Sundaa Movie (Thunderball)
8. M-A-S-H special (CBS)
9. Back to Life (NBC)
10. Magnum, P.I.
