By David Bauder
The Associated Press

CBS claimed its best performance during the November sweeps since 1980, even after canceling The Reagans and a Michael Jackson special.

Not only has CBS dominated its closest rival, NBC, by more than 3 million viewers a night on average, it improved over last year while ABC, NBC and Fox all slipped.

The November sweeps, when ratings are closely monitored to set local advertising rates, are the first big test of the new TV season. Sweeps ended Wednesday

The two embarrassing cancellations barely broke CBS' stride. The network scrapped a two-night TV movie on Ronald and Nancy Reagan under political pressure, claiming it was unbalanced. And it swiftly ditched a Jackson special when the pop star was charged with child molestation.

"We're a football team (that) got thrown for a minor loss in the middle of the game," said CBS chief executive Leslie Moonves. "But we got up and won the game by 45 points."

CBS' victory can be traced most directly to the performance of its Sunday movies, which did twice as well as last year's movies, said NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker. The Elizabeth Smart Story and Fallen Angel, which had 17.4 million viewers, were strongest.

NBC claimed a win in the 18-to-49-year-old ratings, which it says is the only demographic it cares about. CBS was second. NBC, ABC and Fox all had double-digit losses from last November in that demographic.

Fox was burned by the failure of Joe Millionaire, upon which it was counting to help carry two nights of the week. When the reality series tanked, it took the scripted series, Skin, with it. Fox was particularly disappointed that its strong postseason baseball ratings had no lasting effect.

NBC has been hurt by the aging of some of its stalwart shows, and a failure to develop replacement hits.

ABC is encouraged that its comedies are slowly drawing an audience but it, too, has no breakout hit.

" For the week that ended last Sunday, CBS averaged 14.2 million viewers (9.3 rating, 15 share). NBC had 11.6 million (7.8, 12). ABC had its best week since last spring, fueled by The Bachelor, averaging 10.7 million viewers (7.0, 11).

Fox averaged 6.8 million (4.4, 7), UPN had 4.4 million (2.9, 5), the WB 4.4 million (2.9, 4) and Pax TV 1 million (0.7, 1).