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Viewership for last week's finales of "The Apprentice" and "The Amazing Race" provided the latest examples of diminished interest in unscripted series, according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Tuesday.
"The Apprentice" finale on NBC drew a record-low 12.8 million viewers, fewer than half the 27.6 million that watched the first "Apprentice" finale April 15, 2004. However, it was still the 13th most-watched prime-time show from Dec. 12 through Sunday and second among viewers ages 18 to 49, the group targeted by NBC, ABC and Fox Broadcasting.
Each "Apprentice" finale has drawn fewer viewers than the one that preceded it, as 16.9 million viewed the Dec. 16, 2004, finale and 14 million the May 19 finale.
The finale for the eighth edition of CBS' "The Amazing Race" finished 16th for the week with 11.5 million viewers, the least for an "Amazing Race" finale since the fourth-edition finale drew 9.9 million on Aug. 21, 2003.
In a week heavy with reruns, CBS had the six most-watched prime- time shows and nine of the top 10 to extend its streak of being the most-watched network for each week of the season to 13, the first network to do that since NBC in 1988.
CBS averaged 12.2 million prime-time viewers, followed by ABC with 8.7 million, NBC with 8.3 million, Fox with 6.7 million, UPN with 3.5 million and the WB with 3.4 million.
CBS also finished first among viewers ages 18 to 49 and 25 to 54, its core audience, while Fox was first among viewers ages 12 to 17, 12 to 34 and 18 to 34.
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