nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, november 14, 2010)

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

NBC (15.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.9, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with its usual coverage of "Sunday Night Football" (19.04 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.3, #2). Leading off the evening were its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1" (6.19 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.9, #16), "Football Night in America #2" (8.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.0, #9) and "Football Night in America #3" (15.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.5, #4).

A silver medal then went to FOX (10.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2) with its own "NFL Overrun" (21.95 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.9, #1) followed by "The OT" (15.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.1, #3) and new episodes of "The Simpsons" (8.97 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.9, #5), "The Cleveland Show" (6.72 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 3.1, #8), "Family Guy" (7.00 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 3.3, #7) and "American Dad" (5.37 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.6, #12).

Next up was ABC (9.05 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.21 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #18), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.2, #15), "Desperate Housewives" (11.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.7, #6) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5, #13).

And finally, new episodes of "60 Minutes" (12.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #17), "The Amazing Race 17" (10.54 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T10), "Undercover Boss" (10.34 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T10) and "CSI: Miami" (10.44 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #14) on CBS (10.85 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Sunday Night Football (9.00%), The Simpsons (5.40%), Undercover Boss (3.80%), The Cleveland Show (0.00%), America's Funniest Home Videos (0.00%), Brothers & Sisters (-3.80%), Desperate Housewives (-7.50%), CSI: Miami (-7.70% vs. 10/31/10), American Dad (-10.30%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-12.00%), Family Guy (-13.20%), The Amazing Race 17 (-15.60%), 60 Minutes (-55.00%).

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/15/09):

NBC (17.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.5, #1) held off the competition on Sunday thanks to its "Sunday Night Football" (19.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.5, #2) coverage. Kicking off the night were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (6.50 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4), "Football Night in America #2" (8.24 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 3.0, #12) and "Football Night in America #3" (15.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.3, #3).

FOX (10.89 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (22.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.0, #1), "The OT" (12.97 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 5.1, #4), "The Simpsons" (9.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 4.2, #6), "The Cleveland Show" (7.01 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 3.3, #9), "Family Guy" (8.28 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 4.1, #7) and "American Dad" (5.99 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.9, #13).

Next up was ABC (11.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) with its veteran lineup of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8.48 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T15), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (11.58 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.6, #8), "Desperate Housewives" (14.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.9, #5) and "Brothers & Sisters" (10.17 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "60 Minutes" (12.26 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T15), "The Amazing Race 15" (11.64 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T10), "Three Rivers" (8.45 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.0, #18) and "Cold Case" (9.24 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #17) on CBS (10.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research