UPDATE: 'MISS USA' MARCHES TO ITS MOST POWERFUL 18-49 RATING IN FOUR YEARS

"MISS USA 2003" BEATS YEAR-AGO RESULTS BY 50 PERCENT IN TOTAL VIEWERS, 57 PERCENT IN 18-49, 65 PERCENT AMONG ADULTS 18-34 AND 147 PERCENT AMONG TEENS

THE 52ND ANNUAL COMPETITION RULES OVER ALL RIVALS AMONG ADULTS, MEN AND WOMEN 18-34 AND TEENS

A MISS USA EDITION OF "FEAR FACTOR" DOMINATES THE 8 P.M. HOUR IN ALL CATEGORIES

BURBANK, CA - March 25, 2003 - NBC's telecast of "Miss USA 2003" has generated the annual event's highest adult 18-49 rating in four years, with a 57 percent increase over the 2002 "Miss USA" results. Last night's telecast was also up by 50 percent in overall total viewers, 65 percent among adults 18-34 and 147 percent among teens.

The powerful "Miss USA" numbers helped NBC achieve its fourth consecutive Monday victory among adults 18-49, its longest Monday winning streak of the season.

"Miss USA" lifted NBC to a close second-place finish for its time period among adults 18-49 and won the slot among adults, men and women 18-34 and teens.

According to updated in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research, the 52nd annual "Miss USA" competition (4.4 rating, 11 share among adults 18-49, 11.4 million viewers overall) attracted the event's highest 18-49 rating since 1999. "Miss USA 2003" towered over last year's results from a Friday telecast on CBS (2.8/8 among adults 18-49, 7.6 million viewers overall). Year-to-year gains were also huge in the categories "Miss USA" won - adults 18-34 (a 4.3 rating this year vs. a 2.6 last year), women 18-34 (5.3 vs. 3.6), men 18-34 (3.3 vs. 1.6) and teens (4.7 vs. 1.9).

From 8-9 p.m., a Miss USA edition of "Fear Factor" (6.2/16 among adults 18-49, 15.6 million viewers overall) dominated the hour in virtually all key categories. "Fear Factor" won the slot by a 48 percent margin among adults 18-49 (6.2/16 vs. 4.2/11 for CBS' second-place encore comedies) and by 3.5 million viewers overall (15.6 million vs. CBS' 12.0 million).

Updated March 24 nightlong 18-49 averages are: NBC, 5.0/12; CBS, 4.5/11; Fox, 3.4/8; ABC, 3.1/8; UPN, 1.5/4; WB, 1.1/3. Last night's updated total viewer averages are: NBC, 12.8 million; CBS, 12.5 million; ABC, 9.7 million; Fox, 7.4 million; UPN, 3.5 million; WB, 3.1 million. In Monday local-market late-night results, "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" (4.8 rating, 12 share in metered-market households) defeated CBS¹ "Late Show With David Letterman" (3.2/8 in metered-market households) and ABC's "Nightline" (4.7/11 in metered-market households). NBC also won the 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET hour with an encore telecast of "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," (2.0/7 in metered-market households), which prevailed over the first-run competition of CBS' "Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn" (1.4/5 in metered-market households).

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PRESS CONTACTS:
Esther Swan/Erin Cooney
The Miss Universe Organization
(212) 373-4870, (212) 373-4868
eswan@missuniverse.com
ecooney@missuniverse.com

Dara Busch/Jill Dortheimer
Rubenstein Public Relations
(212)843-8079, (212)843-9201
dbusch@rubensteinpr.com
jdortheimer@rubensteinpr.com