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ABC Takes Ratings Sweeps with Millionaire Again By Sushuma, (DT) March 1, 2000 10:34 AM PT

(AP)-ABC claimed its second straight ratings "sweeps" month victory, and you won't need a lifeline to figure out why. The network won its first February ratings sweep period since 1988 behind the indomitable "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which accounted for five of the seven most-watched television shows last week. ABC also won in November. Ratings are used during sweeps month to set local advertising rates. Rival networks, to blunt the impact of a sweeps month loss, pointed out that ABC's success was almost solely attributable to one show, since "Millionaire" accounted for 18 percent of the network's prime-time schedule in February. "Had I had 'Millionaire,' I would have had it on 25 percent of my schedule," CBS President Leslie Moonves said Tuesday. Top 10 shows, their networks and ratings for the week of February 21-27: "ER" NBC, 20.7; "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (Tuesday) ABC, 18.8; "Millionaire" (Sunday) ABC, 17.8; "Grammy Awards" CBS, 17.3; "Millionaire" (Thursday) ABC, 17.2; "Millionaire" (Wednesday) 15.9; "Friends," NBC 14.4; "Frasier," NBC 14.3; "Millionaire (Friday) ABC, 14.0; "CBS Sunday Movie: Perfect Murder, Perfect Town" CBS, 12.9 (Source: Nielsen Media Research) ??"All things have to fall," top NBC researcher Alan Wurtzel said. "At some point, there will be a saturation. It's just that nobody knows exactly when."