Ratings Archives: August1997

The Dog days of summer. The broadcast networks are all in repeat mode or pilot burn-off. The NFL was starting its 1997 with preseason games, but even that programming was not doing much. Usually ranking in the 20's to 30's.

NBC was the network to beat. It won all four weeks of August, usually by 0.5 to a full ratings point. CBS and ABC was always battling it out for 2nd place, but CBS usually came out on top. FOX was still rising, but had not gotten to the point of seriously challenging the other three networks on a consistent basis. Fianlly, UPN and the WB were fighting it out for 5th place, but UPN started pulling away as they got closer to September.

NBC did place 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN after Seinfeld for a few weeks, to pump it up for the following season. It hels up fairly well, once taking the over all #2 spot in the rankings, behind Seinfeld.

Nielsen Broadcast ratings charts forAugust 4 to August 31, 1997