MATT DRUDGE // DRUDGE REPORT 2002�
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED SEPT 18, 2002 10:14:37 ET XXXXX
EISNER'S GOLDEN DAY: ABC WINS TUESDAY PRIMETIME, NEWS; KOPPEL EVEN TOPS LETTERMAN
Three cheers to embattled DISNEY chair Michael Eisner and his deputy Bob Iger after ABC-TV shows pulse with a Tuesday win, win and win in NIELSEN for the network's new shows!
That's now two night in a row that ABC has won the primetime race, pulling in more audience than either CBS or NBC [and even HBO].
"We're in the hunt!," an overjoyed ABC executive said from New York City. "This gives us some space... the audience is confirming what we've known, our new shows are really special."
Tuesday night's performance was viewed as make-or-break by some inside of ABC, as the network premiered three of its new Fall programs.
The John Ritter sitcom "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" easily doubled the audience of it nearest competitor with its debut of 13 rating/21 share.
For the night ABC topped out with 9.4/15 over NBC [6.9/11] and CBS [6.1/9].
EisnerIger's victory was across the board, with ABC winning every half hour during prime on Tuesday night.
And the primetime momentum also extended into afterhours when ABC's NIGHTLINE [3.7/9] outpaced CBS's LETTERMAN [3.1/8]. [Koppel's also creeped on Leno [4.2/11].
ABC not only scored a Tuesday prime win and NIGHTLINE's upset: fresh-faced anchor Peter Jennings also landed in first [7.0/13] over NBC Brokaw [6.6/13] and CBS Rather [5.2/10].
"It was a golden day," the ABC executive added.
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Filed By Matt Drudge
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(c)DRUDGE REPORT 2002
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