By David Bauder
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - If Ronald Reagan, Jessica Lynch, Elizabeth Smart, Britney Spears and Andy Griffith can't save the television networks this season, maybe nothing can.

The November "sweeps" get under way Thursday, offering the major broadcast networks a chance to start again. The season opening felt like a false start.

SWEEPS PROGRAMMING

Some of the big events on television during the November ratings "sweeps," which began Thursday: Sunday- CBS at 75, a three-hour celebration of the network's anniversary. Tuesday- First episode of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter filmed without the late John Ritter, ABC. Wednesday - The Country Music Association Awards, CBS. Next Friday - Martha Stewart talks to Barbara Walters on 20/20, ABC. Nov. 9 - Saving Jessica Lynch, the TV movie, NBC. Nov. 9 - The Elizabeth Smart Story, the TV movie, CBS. Nov. 11 - Reunion of stars from The Andy Griffith Show, CBS. Nov. 11 - Jessica Lynch talks to Diane Sawyer, ABC. Nov. 16 - The Reagans miniseries begins, CBS. Nov. 16 - American Music Awards, ABC. Nov. 17 - Britney Spears special, In the Zone, ABC. Nov. 18 - Final part of The Reagans, CBS. Nov. 19 - The Victoria's Secret fashion show on CBS. Nov. 20 - Peter Jennings investigates the Kennedy assassination 40 years later, ABC. Nov. 21 - Vibe Music Awards, with Queen Latifah as host, UPN. Nov. 25 - Justin Timberlake special, NBC. Nov. 26 - Former "bachelorette" Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter plan their wedding, first of three specials on ABC. Nov. 26 - Shania Twain special, NBC.

OFF THE AIR

New television shows that have either been canceled or put on hiatus for the November ratings "sweeps," their return uncertain: Luis, Fox. Canceled. The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H., CBS. On hiatus. Coupling, NBC. On hiatus. The Mullets, UPN. On hiatus. The Lyon's Den, NBC. On hiatus.

ABC, CBS, NBC, the WB and UPN - five of the six biggest networks - have lost audience this season compared to 2002 and, what is more important, lost the younger viewers that advertisers crave. The one gainer is Fox, due entirely to a stellar baseball postseason.

"The November sweeps can't get here a minute too soon, given the lackluster performance of much of the networks' programming this season," said Ed Martin, programming editor for The Myers Report, a media economy newsletter. "Nothing has caught on and the only hope now is some terrific sweeps programming to turn the lights back on and get people interested in television."

Measuring ratings

Sweeps are the industry name for the three separate months during the season when ratings are monitored closely to set local advertising rates. Networks concentrate much of their best programming in these months.

Because nobody has started strongly, it's one of the most important sweeps in years, said Steve Sternberg, an analyst for the media buying firm Magna Global USA.

"It's hard to figure out what's going on when you have the World Series and baseball postseason going so well, combined with the fact that there's been nothing major coming out of the networks to get your attention," he said.

CBS, like NBC probably hurt the most by baseball's strength, is cutting the highest profile over the next month.

'The Reagans' to the rescue

The network's four-hour miniseries, The Reagans, set for Nov. 16 and 18, already has fans of the former president nervous about how he will be portrayed. A conservative group has called for an advertiser boycott.

In further nostalgic appeals, CBS airs a three-hour 75th anniversary special on Sunday and welcome Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts and Jim Nabors back to Mayberry for a reunion special Nov. 11. A similar reunion for Carol Burnett stunned the industry with its high ratings in November 2001.

CBS and NBC engage in one of the most unusual, and perhaps destructive, ratings battles on Nov. 9 when they present television movies about kidnap victim Smart (CBS) and former POW Lynch (NBC) at exactly the same time.

It's one of Sternberg's pet peeves: networks programming as much to hurt rivals as to build audiences for themselves.

Besides the Lynch movie and music specials with Justin Timberlake and Shania Twain on Thanksgiving week, NBC is relatively stunt-free. Instead, the network hopes to draw viewers with its original programming, with twists like Bob Newhart on ER.

NBC has suffered this season because some old reliables, like Friends, have lost popularity. Although Frasier has rebounded in quality, if not in ratings, Martin said many of the critics he's talked to across the country are surprised at how the quality of writing has slipped for many returning shows on all networks.

"People are scratching their heads," he said. "What's with all this dead air?"

CBS hurting

After boosting its appeal among younger viewers, traditionally older-skewing CBS has been hurt more than any other network by a puzzling viewership decline among young people, particularly men. Networks have grumbled that it's the fault of the messenger, Nielsen Media Research.

Sternberg suggests they look in the mirror instead. Few of the new programs appeal to young men, he said.

ABC is slowly rebuilding with family-pleasing comedies, but its schedule contains enough holes that November is packed with special events. Many are generated by the news division: Diane Sawyer interviews Lynch and Spears, Barbara Walters talks to Martha Stewart, Peter Jennings investigates the Kennedy assassination and Elizabeth Vargas explores the life of Jesus Christ.

The comedy, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter returns with its first post-John Ritter episode and - perhaps inevitably - Regis Philbin appears on Kelly Ripa's Hope & Faith.

Baseball did so well for Fox that the network topped the prime-time ratings race for three weeks in a row - the first time that's ever happened.

There are ominous signs, though, that baseball won't help the rest of its lineup. Two shows heavily promoted on baseball - Joe Millionaire and Skin - tanked in their first two weeks and the network's new Friday night is already D.O.A.

Fox is airing an American Idol holiday special on Nov. 25, and bringing special guests to some of its regular shows, like Ellen DeGeneres on Bernie Mac and Liza Minnelli on Arrested Development.