Presidential address breaks up primetime

Fast National ratings for Monday, Sept. 11, 2006

The conclusion of ABC's miniseries "The Path to 9/11" led ABC to a ratings win Monday. Numbers for the night are approximate, as a presidential address marking the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks interrupted regular programming in much of the country.

ABC averaged a 7.4 rating/11 share for the night, finishing well ahead of CBS' 5.2/8. NBC was third at 4.2/7. FOX, 4.0/7, came in fourth, and The WB trailed with a 1.2/2.

The Alphabet also led among adults 18-49, scoring a 3.7 rating. FOX, 2.5, was second, with CBS not far behind at 2.3. NBC drew a 1.8 in the key ad demographic, while The WB managed only a 0.6.

The commercial-free "Path to 9/11" posted a 6.7/10 for ABC at 8 p.m. FOX finished second for the hour with "Prison Break," 5.5/8. A "Dateline" special was third for NBC, topping reruns of "How I Met Your Mother," 4.2/7, and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," 4.0/6, on CBS. The WB got a 1.1/2 from a "7th Heaven" repeat.

ABC stayed on top at 9 p.m., as President Bush's speech and the resumption of "The Path to 9/11" averaged 8.3/12. CBS moved up to second, with its coverage of the president and "Two and Half Men" combining to score a 4.9/7. NBC drew a 4.0/6 with Bush and more "Dateline," while the speech and "Vanished" scored a 3.8/6 for FOX. The WB went with another "7th Heaven."

At 10 p.m., the final 18 minutes of ABC's movie and a special edition of "Primetime" delivered a 7.2/12. "CSI: Miami" scored a 6.6/11 for CBS, while a "Medium" rerun earned a 3.4/5 for NBC. The conclusion of "Vanished" and local programming on FOX averaged 3.5/6 from 10 to 10:30.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts.