Golden Globes gild NBC ratings

NBC rode its telecast of the Golden Globe awards to a ratings victory on Sunday, sweetened by its White House drama West Wing taking honors for best TV drama.

It's faux president star, Martin Sheen, also took honors for best actor in a drama and Kelsey Grammer got the nod again for best actor in a comedy for Frasier. NBC averaged 20.5 million viewers and drew a 9.9 rating, 21 share among adults 18-49 in Nielsen fast nationals. Fox finished second on the night among 18-49ers, with Malcolm In the Middle leading the way with a 6.8/14, a repeat Simpsons at a 6.5/15 and The X-Files at 6.2/12.

ABC finished second in total viewers, as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? drew 18.7 million viewers and a repeat of The Practice pulled 12.8 million viewers with a 4.6/11.

Meanwhile, CBS's 60 Minutes scored a middling 4.2/11, while Touched By An Angel hit an even more middling 3.0/6. - Richard Tedesco