Billy Campbell plays Moses in NBC's miniseries, 'In the Beginning'

Titanic, Genesis and O.J. highlight November 'sweeps'

November 3, 2000
Web posted at: 2:39 p.m. EST (1939 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- What do the Titanic, the Old Testament, Jackie O and the O.J. Simpson murder trial have in common?

All four will feature in big-event television broadcasts during the relatively low-hyped November "sweeps," which began Thursday even as networks were still rolling out shows for a quirky fall season delayed by the Summer Olympics.

The next four weeks mark the latest of three annual ratings periods when networks seek to boost viewership for the benefit of local affiliates by trotting out flashy specials, mini-series, TV movies and big-name guest appearances.

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Ratings for those periods are used by the local stations to establish advertising rates for the coming quarter.

Perhaps one of the biggest events of this year's November sweeps is the broadcast premiere of the 1997 movie blockbuster, "Titanic," James Cameron's Oscar-winning epic about the doomed luxury liner, slated for November 26 on NBC.

NBC also is hoping to cash in on the recent popularity of religious fare with the four-hour mini-series, "In the Beginning," based on the stories of Biblical heroes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses. It airs November 12 and 13.

CBS is offering a pair of mini-series dramatizing events surrounding two larger-than-life modern figures -- "Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis," a four-hour drama based on the best-selling biography by Donald Spoto (November 5 and 8), and "American Tragedy," a four-hour adaptation of the bestseller about Simpson's "Dream Team" defense (November 12 and 15).

By sweeps standards, however, the lineup of specials is less lavish and less highly promoted than usual, in part because the networks are still busy launching their late-arriving fall lineup, said TV Guide editor-in-chief Steven Redicliffe.

"In terms of big sweeps-style events, its pretty low voltage," he told Reuters Thursday. "Network programmers are still concentrating on new series and showcasing those."

Indeed, two new high-profile Fox series debuted on the eve of the sweeps -- the John Goodman comedy "Normal, Ohio," and the stocks-and-sex drama, "The $treet." And two veteran Fox series will be making their season premieres November 5. Hit thriller "The X-Files" returns for its eighth season with a new partner, Robert Patrick, for agent Scully, and the animated satire "The Simpsons" starts its 12th season with episode No. 250, guest starring The Who.

NBC will round out its new fall lineup with the November 14 premiere of the new sitcom, "DAG," starring David Alan Grier as a Secret Service agent assigned to protect a demanding First Lady played by Delta Burke.

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In keeping with another sweeps tradition, the networks will air several music extravaganzas this month -- the Radio City Music Awards and a concert special headlined by country star Faith Hill on ABC, and a star-studded 75th anniversary tribute to the Grand Ole Opry on CBS.

Conversely, Barbra Streisand is expected to talk about her decision to retire from live performances in a "20/20" interview with Barbara Walters this Friday.

Other sweeps highlights include:

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