Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending September 16, 2001

Prior to 1974, there would be random weeks in the year in which Nielsen would not measure the TV ratings, these were called "black weeks" (read more here). The very last of these "black weeks" was the week of April 23, 1973 - April 29, 1973. Every week since April 30, 1973, except for one, Nielsen has released a weekly ratings report. That one week was the week of September 10, 2001 - September 16, 2001. Due to the events of Tuesday September 11, 2001, news coverage dominated the television sphere and pre-empted almost everything on air. Out of respect, Nielsen did not release the weekly broadcast ratings for this week. They did; however, release the top 15 cable ratings and the daily overnight ratings. Both have been posted below.

Broadcast Overnight Ratings:

SHOW	DAY	NET	Household Rating
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire	MON	ABC	10.4/17
Monday Night Football	MON	ABC	14.9/22
The King of Queens	MON	CBS	6.4/10
Everybody Loves Raymond (8:30pm)	MON	CBS	7.3/11
Everybody Loves Raymond (9pm)	MON	CBS	9.9/15
Becker	MON	CBS	7.7/11
Family Law	MON	CBS	5.2/8
Weakest Link	MON	NBC	5.7/9
Third Watch	MON	NBC	5.7/8
Dateline NBC	MON	NBC	9.3/15
Boston Public	MON	FOX	4.2/7
Ally McBeal	MON	FOX	4.2/7
The Hughley's	MON	UPN	3.7/6
One on One	MON	UPN	4.1/6
The Parkers	MON	UPN	4.6/7
Girlfriends	MON	UPN	4.7/7
7th Heaven	MON	WB	3.7/6
Angel	MON	WB	2.2/3
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	NBC	14.7/20
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	ABC	12.0/17
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	CBS	10.2/14
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	FOX	5.0/7
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	UPN	1.8/2
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	TUE	WB	2.2/3
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	WED	NBC	11.2/16
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	WED	ABC	9.5/14
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	WED	CBS	8.3/12
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	WED	FOX	4.5/7
Star Trek: Voyager	WED	UPN	2.0/3
Special Unit 2	WED	UPN	2.3/3
7th Heaven	WED	WB	3.0/5
Gilmore Girls	WED	WB	3.0/4
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	THU	NBC	11.0/16
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	THU	ABC	10.7/16
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	THU	CBS	8.0/12
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	THU	FOX	4.2/6
WWF Smackdown	THU	UPN	4.1/6
Sabrina Down Under	THU	WB	3.4/5
ABC News	FRI	ABC	7.5/14
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire	FRI	ABC	7.1/14
20/20 Downtown	FRI	ABC	6.6/12
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	FRI	NBC	6.8/12
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	FRI	CBS	6.4/12
Primetime News Coverage 9/11	FRI	FOX	2.4/4

Available Broadcast Viewership figures:

SHOW	DAY	Rating	Viewers (millions)
Total News Coverage	TUE	69	79.5
Total News Coverage	WED	63.5	54.8
Total News Coverage	THU	63.8	52.8

Cable Ratings:

SHOW	NET	DAY	Rating	Viewers (millions)
BUSH ADDRS/USA ATTACKED	CNN	Tue	6.2	6.539
EXPLOSIONS IN AFGHANISTAN	CNN	Tue	6.0	6.351
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	6.0	6.336
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	6.0	6.328
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.9	6.253
RUMSFELD PC/USA ATTACKED	CNN	Tue	5.8	6.115
ASHCROFT PC/USA ATTACKED	CNN	Tue	5.6	5.876
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS BRF	CNN	Tue	5.5	5.843
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.5	5.763
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.1	5.331
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.1	5.328
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.0	5.324
TALIBAN NEWS CONFERENCE	CNN	Tue	5.0	5.289
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Wed	5.0	5.277
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	5.0	5.244
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	5.085
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.956
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.904
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.895
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.818
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.807
ATTACK ON AMERICA	CNN	Tue	-	4.797

Cable Ratings (18-49):

SHOW	NET	DAY	TIME	Adults 18-49 (millions)
Bush Address/USA Attacked	CNN	Tue	08:32P-08:38P	5.589
Attack On America	CNN	Tue	08:00P-08:30P	5.183
Attack On America	CNN	Tue	07:30P-08:00P	5.051
Rumsfeld PC/USA Attacked	CNN	Tue	06:44P-06:55P	4.461
Attack On America	CNN	Tue	08:38P-09:00P	4.437
Explosions In Afghanistan	CNN	Tue	05:58P-06:32P	4.421
Attack On America	CNN	Tue	06:35P-06:44P	4.397
Congressional Leaders Brief	CNN	Tue	07:24P-07:30P	4.303
Ashcroft PC/USA Attacked	CNN	Tue	07:16P-07:24P	4.140
Attack On America	CNN	Tue	06:59P-07:16P	3.966

Source: Zap2it & Media Life Magazine