ESPN IS CABLE'S TOP DOG; CBS AND FOX SHOW BOOST IN SWEEPS

          Although ESPN was the "most-watched" cable network
     during primetime in November, its audience "was down 10%
     from the same period a year ago," according to Richard Huff
     of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS.  Overall, an average of 1.725
     million homes tuned in to ESPN during primetime, down from
     1.912 million last November.  ESPN was followed by TNT
     (1.572 million average); USA (1.502 million); Nickelodeon
     (1.330 million) and TBS (1.119 million).  ESPN did present
     the top six most-watched programs of the month -- led by the
     Lions-Packers NFL Sunday Night game on November 2 which
     averaged 7.179M homes (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/28).
          CBS SWEEPS UP: Preliminary estimates for the November
     sweeps "show CBS poised to upset NBC in overall prime-time
     ratings nationwide, while the Fox network has cut into NBC's
     lead in the key demographic groups," according to Brian
     Lowry of the L.A. TIMES.  With Wednesday night's results
     still to be calculated, Nielsen Media Research shows CBS
     with an average of 15.2 million viewers per night, followed
     by NBC at 14.7 million, 13.9 million for ABC and 12.4
     million for Fox.  Lowry: "Fox ... made headway among teens
     and young adults ... [and] ranked first in November ... with
     viewers between the ages of 12 and 34" (L.A. TIMES, 11/27).