nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, november 7, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (14.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1) held onto the adults 18-49 crown last night with its coverage of "Sunday Night Football" (17.19 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.7, #2). Leading into the broadcast were the usual pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (6.36 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.0, #15), "Football Night in America #2" (6.84 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.3, #14) and "Football Night in America #3" (13.12 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.6, #3).

CBS (16.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #2) however was the most-watched network with a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (27.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.7, #1) followed by new episodes of "60 Minutes" (15.59 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T4), "The Amazing Race 17" (11.27 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #8) and "Undercover Boss" (9.90 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T11).

Next up was FOX (6.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) with repeats of "The Simpsons" (3.46 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.4, #18) and another "The Simpsons" (4.46 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.9, #16) followed by the return of "The Simpsons" (8.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.7, #7), "The Cleveland Show" (6.70 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 3.1, #9), "Family Guy" (7.97 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.8, #6) and "American Dad" (6.30 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.9, #10).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.63 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #17), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (9.28 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #13), "Desperate Housewives" (12.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T4) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.84 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T11) on ABC (9.58 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (150.00%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (38.90%), The Amazing Race 17 (28.00%), The Simpsons (23.30% vs. 10/10/10), The Cleveland Show (19.20% vs. 10/10/10), American Dad (16.00% vs. 10/10/10), America's Funniest Home Videos (14.30%), Desperate Housewives (14.30%), Brothers & Sisters (13.00%), Family Guy (11.80% vs. 10/10/10), Sunday Night Football (1.50%), Undercover Boss (-13.30%).

Here are the highlights of the 20 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/8/09):

A monster night from "Sunday Night Football" (19.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.6, #1) put NBC (16.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.2, #1) in front on Sunday. Leading into said coverage were its pregame specials "Football Night in America #1" (7.61 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.6, #14), "Football Night in America #2" (10.47 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.1, #5) and "Football Night in America #3" (15.09 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.6, #3).

CBS (12.23 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) and FOX (6.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) then shared the silver as the latter offered up its mix of "Brothers" (5.72 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 2.3, #15), "American Dad" (4.53 million viewers, #20; adults 18-49: 2.1, #16), "Family Guy" (7.38 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T7), "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show" (6.63 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 3.4, #9), another "Family Guy" (7.73 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 4.0, #6) and "The Cleveland Show" (6.28 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 3.2, #10).

The Eye then served up its combination of "NFL Overrun" (20.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #2) and (estimates only) "60 Minutes" (15.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T7), "The Amazing Race 15" (10.58 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #11), "Three Rivers" (7.97 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #18) and "Cold Case" (7.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T19).

And finally, ABC (9.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) closed out the night with a "NASCAR Overrun" (6.24 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T19) followed by "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.78 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.9, #17), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (10.44 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.0, #12), "Desperate Housewives" (13.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #4) and "Brothers & Sisters" (9.05 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #13).

Source: Nielsen Media Research