nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, january 2, 2011)

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

NBC (14.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1) was the network to beat with the season finale of "Sunday Night Football" (15.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.7, #2). Leading into said coverage were its usual combination of "Football Night in America #1" (8.63 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8), "Football Night in America #2" (10.83 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.9, #4) and "Football Night in America #3" (15.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.5, #3).

FOX (8.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (18.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1) and "The OT" (10.02 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.6, #6) followed by repeats of "The Simpsons" (6.25 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T9), "The Cleveland Show" (4.98 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.2, #15) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (5.73 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.6, #12).

Next up was ABC (9.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with the return of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8.21 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.1, #16), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (9.35 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T9), "Desperate Housewives" (12.10 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.8, #5) and "Brothers & Sisters" (7.97 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.4, #14).

And finally, "NFL Overrun" (14.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #7) on CBS (11.28 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) led into a new "60 Minutes" (12.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #17), the relocated "CSI: Miami" (11.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #13), a new "Undercover Boss" (10.68 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T9) and a repeat of "CSI: Miami" (7.47 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.8, #18).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): CSI: Miami (13.60% vs. 12/12/10), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (12.50% vs. 12/12/10), America's Funniest Home Videos (10.50% vs. 12/5/10), Desperate Housewives (8.60% vs. 12/12/10), 60 Minutes (5.30%), Brothers & Sisters (-4.00% vs. 12/12/10), Undercover Boss (-10.00% vs. 12/12/10), Sunday Night Football (-32.90% vs. 12/19/10).

Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/3/10):

The season finale of "Sunday Night Football" (14.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.5, #T1) had no trouble lifting NBC (13.26 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1) to the top spot last night. Leading off the evening were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (6.28 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.0, #16), "Football Night in America #2" (7.70 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.9, #12) and "Football Night in America #3" (12.18 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.5, #4).

The silver then went to FOX (9.06 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) with its combination of "NFL Overrun" (15.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #T1), "The OT" (9.31 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.5, #9), "The Simpsons" (8.65 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 4.0, #5), "The Cleveland Show" (6.96 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 3.3, #10), "Family Guy" (8.10 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.9, #T6) and "American Dad" (5.91 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 2.8, #13).

Next up was ABC (11.84 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #3) with its first-run lineup of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (10.23 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #14), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (11.01 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #11), "Desperate Housewives" (15.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #3) and "Brothers & Sisters" (10.91 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.6, #8).

And finally, CBS (10.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) offered up its mix of "NFL Overrun" (15.13 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #T6), "60 Minutes" (14.13 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #15), "NCIS" (9.59 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #17), "Cold Case" (7.50 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T18) and another "Cold Case" (6.44 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T18).

Source: Nielsen Media Research