ENTERTAINMENT : NBC Wins May Network Sweeps

NEW YORK — NBC won the May television sweeps, matching its own record for the widest margin of victory ever, it was announced today. CBS came in second and ABC was third.

The TV sweeps, during which the ratings companies measure viewing in about 200 local markets, form the basis for local advertising rates and to a lesser degree influence network prices. NBC had a 24% margin of victory over CBS and 28% over ABC, matching its own record margin over the second-place contender a year ago, said Gerry Jaffe, NBC vice president for research.