Classic TV Ratings and Rankings: 1968-69

Out of nowhere, NBC's ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN became the #1 program on television. The comedy/variety series was just a mid-season replacement program last season. It is also the highest rated program since BONANZA in the '65 - '66 season.

NBC is also progressing to challenge CBS for the top network spot. It still has a way to go, but it does now have two of the top three programs and half of the top eight shows. It still has just 10 programs on the chart, but most are now in the top half.

CBS is still on top with 16 charting series, six in the top 10. Its new series MAYBERRY R.F.D. readily picked right up where THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW left off. It pulled in about the same rating numbers as ANDY did last season.

ABC is still working n 3rd place, again with just four charting programs. A good sign though is freshmen cop drama THE MOD SQUAD placed 28th. BEWITCHED is still the network's top program, matching its ranking from the previous season, at #11.

Other notable freshmen series are Lucille Ball's new sitcom HERE'S LUCY at #9, groundbreaking comedy JULIA placing 7th and mid season replacement variety show THE GLEN CAMPBELL GOODTIME HOUR taking the 15th spot.

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings
(Households with TVs - 58.25 million)

1. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (NBC) - 31.8
2. Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (CBS) - 27.2
3. Bonanza (NBC) - 26.6
4. Mayberry R.F.D. (CBS) - 25.4
5. Family Affair (CBS) - 25.2
6. Gunsmoke (CBS) - 24.9
7. Julia (NBC) - 24.6
8. The Dean Martin Show (NBC) - 24.1
9. Here's Lucy (CBS) - 23.8
10. The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS) - 23.5
11. Mission: Impossible (CBS) - 23.3
11. The Red Skelton Hour (CBS) - 23.3
11. Bewitched (ABC) - 23.3
14. My Three Sons (CBS) - 22.8
15. The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (CBS) - 22.5
16. Ironside (NBC) - 22.3
17. The Virginian (NBC) - 21.8
18. The F.B.I. (ABC) - 21.7
19. Green Acres (CBS) - 21.6
20. Dragnet (NBC) - 21.4
21. Daniel Boone (NBC) - 21.3
21. Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (NBC) - 21.3
23. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) - 21.2
24. The Carol Burnett Show (CBS) - 20.8
25. The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS) - 20.8
26. I Dream of Jeannie (NBC) - 20.7
27. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (CBS) - 20.6
28. The Mod Squad (ABC) - 20.5
29. The Lawrence Well Show (ABC) - 20.5
30. The Doris Day Show (CBS) - 20.4