If it’s a new year, it’s time for Dick Clark

Yo, 2003! You’re getting a royal welcome tonight when ABC presents “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,� beginning at 10 p.m. Clark, who has done more rockin’ in Times Square (this is his 31st straight year in New York) than he did in Philadelphia on “American Bandstand,� starts his three-part special with highlights from musical tours across America in 2002 that feature Alabama, Coldplay, LL Cool J and the Who. Between songs, Steve Doocy and Mario Lopez will report on happenings around New York City.

At 11:30, the countdown to midnight begins, and it will include reports from Ali Landry (“Spy TV�) at a party in Hollywood. Landry will be joined by B2K, Rod Stewart, Nelly and Missy Elliott.

After midnight, the music and revelry continue until Clark closes it out in the wee hours.

Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol�) celebrates as the host of “America’s Party: Live From Las Vegas,� at 11 p.m. on Fox. The bash gets going with performances by the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Sugar Ray and Ja Rule.

The champagne and sparkling cider glasses will be tinkling when PBS (KCET, KVCR) offers an alternative to rock called “New Year’s Eve All-Gershwin Concert,� on “Live From Lincoln Center,� at 8 p.m., with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra led by Lorin Maazel. The Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble and soloists will perform music from “Porgy and Bess� and “An American in Paris.�

The 100th anniversary of composer Richard Rodgers’ birthday is saluted on “On Stage at Kennedy Center,� at 10 p.m. on KCET.

The program, which was taped early this year in Washington, D.C., features performers doing tunes from “The Sound of Music,� “Oklahoma!� and other Rodgers Broadway hits.

A marathon of John Wayne movies continues on AMC with the 1965 western “The Sons of Katie Elder,� co-starring Dean Martin, at 8 p.m., followed by “Donovan’s Reef,� at 10:25.

The college football bowl season goes into high gear with six games today, including the Humanitarian Bowl (Iowa State vs. Boise State) at 9 a.m. on ESPN; the Sun Bowl (Washington vs. Purdue) at 11 on CBS; the Liberty Bowl (TCU vs. Colorado State) at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN; the Silicon Valley Bowl (Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State) at 12:30 on ESPN2; the Peach Bowl (Tennessee vs. Maryland) at 4:30 on ESPN; and the San Francisco Bowl (Air Force vs. Virginia Tech) at 7:30 on ESPN2.

Finally, “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno� welcomes comedian Jay Mohr, a musical performance from “Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk� and Snoop Dogg, 11:30 p.m. on NBC.