TV'S SWEEPS WEAK; VIEWERS FLEE NETWORKS' LACKLUSTER LINEUP.

Byline: David Bauder Associated Press

CBS claimed victory Thursday in television's important November ``sweeps,'' but you'll forgive the network for keeping the champagne corked.

This fall's TV season is no excuse for a party.

Critics are grousing, red ink is flowing, executives are bailing and viewers are fleeing. It's hard to tell whose heart has been weaker: that of ``NYPD Blue'' Detective Bobby Simone or those of the broadcast networks.

``It isn't a good season, and it's being noticed by everybody,'' said Dorothy Swanson, founder of Viewers for Quality Television. She said she has been so busy compiling members' complaints that she couldn't get this month's newsletter out on time.

CBS estimated Thursday it had beaten NBC by one-tenth of a ratings point in the November sweeps, earning bragging rights for the period when ratings are used to set local advertising rates. CBS' victory was a little hollow: Its November sweeps ratings, through Monday, were off 10 percent from November 1997.

NBC, ABC and UPN are also down from last year. Fox is treading water. The only success story is the WB, which continues to draw teen viewers.

Together, NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox have seen their nightly share of the audience drop from 61 percent to 57 percent in the past year, Nielsen Media Research said. More people are watching basic cable, whose share has increased to 39 percent from 34 percent.

Once disdainful of cable, broadcasters are now looking there for answers. During the past month, NBC replaced top programmer Warren Littlefield with Scott Sassa, who made his name at TNT, and Fox brought in Comedy Central's Doug Herzog to replace entertainment chief Peter Roth.

``They have the toughest job in all of television,'' said Dick Wolf, producer of NBC's ``Law & Order.'' ``Trying to pick hits has always been difficult, but in this environment, it's horrifyingly difficult. They all have my sympathy.''

Networks struggling

Network television, once a license to print money, is now a risky business. NBC is generally considered the most flush network, but analysts say its profits are going down, as they are for ABC and Fox. CBS, the WB and UPN are all forecast to lose money.

It's hard to say whether bad programming choices cause money troubles or vice versa.

The effort to slash expenses leads to cheaply produced reality shows like ``When Good Pets Go Bad,'' the TV equivalent of junk food. Or newsmagazines: They've sprouted like mushrooms, and there's evidence this fall that viewers may be tiring of them.

Industry experts like Wolf also concede that the explosion of television outlets with time to fill has stretched Hollywood's talent pool too thin.

Critics also complain about a dearth of new ideas. The year's only startlingly different show was UPN's historical farce about sex in the Lincoln White House, ``The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer.'' But it lasted barely a month after some African-American activists protested and the ratings tanked.

Small wonder conservatism reigns among programmers: Is ``Becker'' on CBS' schedule because it's a compelling show or because star Ted Danson is considered a proven commodity?

``They think they're losing viewers because viewers are being turned off,'' Swanson said. ``Instead, viewers aren't being stimulated enough to stay.''

Television goes through periodic lulls, said Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University. Prime time didn't reflect the social upheaval of the '60s until shows like ``All in the Family'' started in the early '70s. A new wave of dramas like ``Hill Street Blues'' livened up a dead spot in the '80s.

Taking a chance

Creativity is usually found now on cable or smaller networks willing to take a chance, Thompson said. The new wave of adult-oriented animation, spearheaded by Fox and by Comedy Central's ``South Park,'' is an example.

ABC Entertainment President Jamie Tarses said it's a particular challenge to find programming that's edgy but can still appeal to a wide audience.

``I think if you do sort of middle-of-the-road programming, the audience is too savvy now,'' Tarses said. ``They're not going to have the patience. They want to be entertained, and part of being entertained is not being able to expect what you're going to see.''

The WB's success with teens - together with the prospect of dozens more channels in the future world of digital television - has made narrowcasting the trendy buzzword in TV. The key to future success is capturing a niche and holding on tight.

Not everyone is willing to give up the mass audience, though.

``Yes, there is erosion,'' Wolf said. ``Obviously the pie has been cut into a lot more pieces. But . . . if you give people good choices, there is still an enormous audience that will watch network television.''