NEW YORK -- CBS won the prime time Nielsen race for the 1984-85 season -- tne sixth year in a row for CBS and the 25th time in the past 29 seasons the network has been No. 1.
The final season prime time averages, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., showed CBS winning with a 16.9 rating and a 27 share, while NBC had a 16.2 rating and a 26 share and ABC a 15.4 rating and a 24 share.
The Nielsen ratings for the week ending April 21 gave CBS a 16.1 rating and a 27 percent share of the audience. NBC had a 14.9 rating and a 25 share, while ABC earned a 13.4 rating and a 22 share.
NBC made the biggest gains for the season, finishing in second place. That marks the first time in 10 years that NBC has been out of last place -- the network last finished second in the 1974-75 season.
NBC also bucked the general network trend toward diminished total audience, up nine percent over last year, while CBS was down six percent and ABC was down 10 percent.
There was one piece of good news for ABC -- 'Dynasty' was the most-watched show of the season, displacing the CBS serial 'Dallas.'
'CBS Evening News with Dan Rather' remained the No. 1 news show for the season. It has been the top-rated evening news show for 153 consecutive weeks, since May 3, 1982. For the 1984-85 season, 'CBS Evening News' boasted a 13.5 rating and 24 share. 'NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw' came in second with an 11.2 rating and a 20 share, and ABC's 'World News Tonight' had an 11.1 rating and a 20 share.
For the week ending April 21, CBS scored a 12.0 rating and a 24 share, NBC had a 9.9 rating and a 20 share and ABC had a 9.1 rating and an 18 share.
The top 10 prime time network series -- with at least six episodes each -- for the 1984-85 television season ended April 21, were:
1. Dynasty (ABC)
2. Dallas (CBS)
3. The Cosby Show (NBC)
4. 60 Minutes (CBS)
5. Family Ties (NBC)
6. The A-Team (NBC)
7. Simon & Simon (CBS)
8. Murder, She Wrote (CBS)
9. Knots Landing (CBS)
10. Falcon Crest (CBS)
The top 10 prime time shows for the week ending April 21, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., were:
1. The Cosby Show (NBC)
2. Murder, She Wrote (CBS)
3. Family Ties (NBC)
4. 60 Minutes (CBS)
5. Dallas (CBS)
6. Cheers (NBC)
7. ABC Monday movie, 'Lady Blue'
8. Facts of Life (NBC)
9. Trapper John, M.D. (CBS)
10.
