nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, november 21, 2010)

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

NBC (17.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1) was the ratings king on Sunday thanks to another above-average performance from "Sunday Night Football" (21.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.0, #1). Pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (8.19 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.8, #11), "Football Night in America #2" (11.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.2, #5) and "Football Night in America #3" (16.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.7, #T2) as usual kicked off the night.

ABC (10.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) the claimed the silver with a new "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8.03 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T16) and its presentation of "The 2010 American Music Awards" (11.69 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #4).

Next up was CBS (13.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) with its mix of (half-hour results only) "NFL Overrun" (8.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 5.7, #T2), "60 Minutes" (15.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #6), "The Amazing Race 17" (10.77 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T8), "Undercover Boss" (12.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T8) and "CSI: Miami" (10.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #14).

And finally, repeats of "The Cleveland Show" (5.39 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.0, #15) and "The Simpsons" (4.46 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T16) led into fresh installments of "The Simpsons" (6.63 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.9, #10), "The Cleveland Show" (5.04 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.4, #12), "Family Guy" (6.59 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.3, #7) and "American Dad" (4.83 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.3, #13) on FOX (5.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (88.90%), America's Funniest Home Videos (18.80%), The Amazing Race 17 (14.80%), Undercover Boss (14.80%), Sunday Night Football (9.60%), Family Guy (0.00%), CSI: Miami (-8.30%), American Dad (-11.50%), The Cleveland Show (-22.60%), The Simpsons (-25.60%).

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/22/09):

NBC (13.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday thanks to its "Sunday Night Football" (15.11 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.6, #2) coverage. Leading into the broadcast were "Football Night in America #1" (6.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.3, #12), "Football Night in America #2" (8.79 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T8) and "Football Night in America #3" (12.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.5, #4).

ABC (12.13 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "NASCAR Overrun" (5.66 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T16), "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.45 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T13) and "The 2009 American Music Awards" (14.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.5, #3).

Next up was CBS (12.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) with a half-hour "NFL Overrun" (20.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) followed by new episodes of "60 Minutes" (15.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #7), "The Amazing Race 15" (11.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #6), "Cold Case" (9.19 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T13) and "Three Rivers" (7.65 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T16).

And finally, FOX (5.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) rounded out the evening with its mix of "Brothers" (2.61 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.0, #18), a repeat of "The Simpsons" (4.04 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.9, #15) and new episodes of "The Simpsons" (7.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T8), "The Cleveland Show" (6.53 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T8), "Family Guy" (7.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.8, #5) and "American Dad" (5.52 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.8, #11).

Source: Nielsen Media Research