TV Ratings: Bush On Top

The response to the President's much-hailed speech to Congress on Sept. 20 led the Nielsen list of most-watched programs for the week of Sept. 17.

By Serena Kappes

Originally posted Thursday September 27, 2001 02:01 PM EDT

The approval rating for President George W. Bush has soared since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and his speech to Congress had American TV viewers glued (82 million watched) to the tube as did NBC's top-rated analyses of his now-famous talk. (Because they wasn't commercially sponsored, the President's address and the "America: Tribute to Heroes" telethon, which counted 59.3 million watching, weren't included in the weekly ratings). ABC's "The Practice" and NBC's "Friends" fall premieres also made the grade with viewers, while CBS's season premiere of "60 Minutes" also scored high. The top 10:

1. "NBC Bush Analysis," NBC, 14.5 million homes
2. "The Practice", ABC, 11.8 million homes
3. "NBC Bush Response Analysis," NBC, 11.7 million homes
4. "Friends," NBC, 11.4 million homes
5. "60 Minutes," CBS, 10.9 million homes 5. "The Education of Max Bickford," CBS, 10.9 million homes
7. "60 Minutes II," CBS, 10.4 million homes
8. "48 Hours - Tuesday," CBS, 9.0 million homes
9. "ER," NBC, 9.5 million homes
10. "Miss America," ABC, 8.9 million homes