nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, october 17, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (14.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1) continued its demo reign on Sunday with its coverage of "Sunday Night Football" (16.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.5, #2). Kicking off the night were its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1" (6.25 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T15), "Football Night in America #2" (9.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T6) and "Football Night in America #3" (14.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.2, #3).

A silver medal then went to FOX (9.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) with its "NLCS, Game 2" (7.07 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T15) coverage, preceded by "NFL Overrun" (17.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1), "The OT" (9.84 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.5, #5) and "NLCS, Game 2 Pre-Game" (8.90 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T9).

Next up was CBS (11.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) with its own "NFL Overrun" (12.27 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #13) followed by (half-hour results only) "60 Minutes" (12.51 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T9), "The Amazing Race 17" (11.27 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T6), "Undercover Boss" (12.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T6) and "CSI: Miami" (10.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T11).

And finally, ABC (9.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) closed out the evening with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.07 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.8, #17), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8.59 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.3, #14), "Desperate Housewives" (12.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.96 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Funniest Home Videos (20.00%), Sunday Night Football (14.00%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (0.00%), Desperate Housewives (0.00%), Brothers & Sisters (-3.60%), Undercover Boss (-4.30%), The Amazing Race 17 (-10.50%), 60 Minutes (-26.30%).

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/18/09):

NBC (13.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with its weekly "Sunday Night Football" (15.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.1, #T1) coverage. Leading into the broadcast were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (5.96 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T14), "Football Night in America #2" (6.02 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.3, #13) and "Football Night in America #3" (10.90 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T5).

CBS (13.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) nevertheless was tops in viewers with a hefty 75-minute "NFL Overrun" (19.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #T1) followed by new episodes "60 Minutes" (12.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.3, #8), "The Amazing Race 15" (9.11 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #12) and "Three Rivers" (6.88 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T17). "Cold Case," which pre-empted entirely on the east coast, will presumably be rescheduled for next week. West coast viewers saw a repeat of the episode "Wednesday's Women."

Next up was ABC (10.37 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3) with its usual mix of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #16), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (10.38 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #11), "Desperate Housewives" (13.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #3) and "Brothers & Sisters" (9.76 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #9).

And finally, FOX (6.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3) offered up its combination of "Brothers" (4.46 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T17), "The Simpsons" (4.62 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T14), another "The Simpsons" (8.59 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T5), "The Cleveland Show" (7.75 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.8, #7), "Family Guy" (8.24 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 4.2, #4) and "American Dad" (6.20 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 3.1, #10).

Source: Nielsen Media Research