FIRST OFF . . .

A.C. Nielsen Co. announced late Wednesday it was withdrawing its usual primetime television ratings list because of problems in calculating how many ABC-affiliated stations carried normal ABC network programming and how many affliates carried the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon instead. As a result, the company withheld release of its complete list until today. The timing was especially significant to Nielsen, since Wednesday’s rankings were to be the first issued using the company’s controversial “people meter” audience-measurement devices. Only the evening news rankings were unaffected by the glitches, and in that contest, CBS’ Dan Rather finished first, with the other two networks tied for second.