Ratings Archives: Week of March 30, 1998

As the spring of 1998 arrives, so does the NCAA Men's basketball Championship. The game features Kentucky and Utah and attracted 26.6 million viewers and a 17.8 household rating. it was the week's #1 show, topping the entire Must See TV lineup, on NBC. Kentucky won the game 78-69.

CBS used the game  to finish #1 for the week, by a margin of 1.5 ratings points over #2, NBC. The network posted seven top 20 programs, including pre & post game shows of the championship game.

That NBC Thursday night line up did take five of the top 10 spots. Three of the series were in repeats, with FRIENDS and VERONICA'S CLOSET airing originals. An additional three shows from NBC make up the top 20 entires, although USA Today give NBC credit for the #15 showing of NYPD BLUE, an ABC series.

ABC ends up in 3rd, 1/2 point behind NBC, while FOX is way back with a 6.4 rating, in fourth place.

A look at Saturday night of the week shows all programs were original episodes. The most watched show of the night is the CBS cop drama WALKER, TEXAS RANGER, which drew 12.4 million viewers. That was good bough to rank as the #37 show of the week.

The WB tops UPN in the battle of netlets, 2.8 to 2.4 household ratings, respectively.

Nielsen Broadcast ratings chart for the week of March 30, 1998.