Ratings!

Quarterly ratings, to whit:

*NBC’s “Dateline Friday” (9 p.m.) was up 6 percent in total viewers vs. first quarter ’98.

*Fox News Channel scored its highest-ever quarterly average, beating MSNBC in rating and households in prime time.

*Nickelodeon was the highest-rated cable network.

We’ll have more quarterly ratings news in tomorrow’s TV Ticker.

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Piano man

Connie Chung makes a surprise appearance tomorrow on hubby Maury Povich’s daytime talk show, “Maury” (10 a.m. on Ch.4).

Chung drops by to cheer up Adam, a 13-year-old with dyslexia who has always dreamed of playing the piano for Chung.

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Express Lines:

*NBC’s Tom Brokaw interviews Gen. Hugh Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tonight (6:30 p.m.). It’s Shelton’s first one-on-one interview since the airstrikes began over Yugoslavia …

*On tomorrow’s “Fox Files” (9-10 p.m. on WNYW/Ch.5): Arthel Neville reveals shocking video of real-life hostage situations …

*Barenaked Ladies will headline MuchMusic’s “Intimate & Interactive” concert Monday (8 p.m.) on MSG’s MetroGuide …

* Tomorrow is the final episode of “Recipes 4 Survival” on Manhattan Neighborhood Network …

*Jeff Daniels will star as George Washington in A&E’s original movie, “The Crossing” …

*Bill Cosby reads his new kid’s book, “One Dark and Scary Night,” at the NBA Store (Fifth Ave. at 52nd St.) today at 3 p.m.