Maybe viewers just want to see whether Democratic candidate Jerry Brown can get his toll-free campaign contribution number past the ever-vigilant anchors.

Despite a less animated campaign than in 1988, the networks' Super Tuesday election-results audience was the same this year as four years ago, good news for the networks in a time when ratings seem always to go lower year-to-year.

It was still a small viewership, overall, however. CBS' 9 p.m. election special Tuesday averaged a 6.0 rating (percentage of the nation's 92.1 million TV households) and a 9 share (percentage of sets in use). NBC's 10 p.m. special did only marginally better, at 6.1/11, while ABC's 10 p.m. special averaged a 7.3/13.

The ratings average out to almost the same as in 1988, when ABC and CBS had two-hour specials, and NBC had a one-hour special.

The networks this year are competing against more extensive coverage from cable, particularly C-Span, which will devote nearly 1,200 hours to election-related programs through November.