nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, march 20, 2011)

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

CBS (10.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) snagged the top spot on Sunday with its mix of (half-hour results only) "NCAA Overrun" (9.98 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10), "60 Minutes" (11.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T8), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (10.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4), "Undercover Boss" (11.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) and "CSI: Miami" (10.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6).

FOX (4.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then claimed the silver with repeats of "The Simpsons" (2.41 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.0, #17), "American Dad" (2.94 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.3, #14) and another "The Simpsons" (4.66 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11) followed by new episodes of "Bob's Burgers" (4.41 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T8), "Family Guy" (6.62 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) and "The Cleveland Show" (5.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) offered up new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (5.32 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #18), "America's Next Great Restaurant" (3.93 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (8.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.75 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13) led into a new "Secret Millionaire" (10.18 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7), the season premiere of "Shark Tank" (6.25 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #12) and the season finale of "Detroit 187" (4.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #16) on ABC (6.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (29.40%), Bob's Burgers (10.00% vs. 3/6/11), Family Guy (9.70%), The Cleveland Show (8.00%), The Amazing Race 17 (3.80%), The Celebrity Apprentice (3.70%), Undercover Boss (0.00%), CSI: Miami (-7.40%), Secret Millionaire (-11.10%), America's Next Great Restaurant (-14.30%), Detroit 187 (-15.40% vs. 3/15/11), Dateline NBC (-18.20%).

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/21/10):

CBS (13.19 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) claimed the top spot on Sunday thanks to its mix of "NCAA Overrun" (13.81 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), "60 Minutes" (13.63 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T5), "The Amazing Race 16" (12.41 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4), "Undercover Boss" (13.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1) and "Cold Case" (13.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3).

ABC (7.16 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) then took home the silver with the conclusion of "Thin Ice" (4.32 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T17) followed by "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.39 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #12), "Desperate Housewives" (10.75 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T5) and the premiere of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (6.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #11).

Next up was FOX (4.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) with new episodes of "'Til Death" (2.54 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.9, #16), another "'Til Death" (3.31 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15), "The Simpsons" (5.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8), "The Cleveland Show" (5.04 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.5, #10), "Family Guy" (6.66 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T5) and "Sons of Tucson" (3.90 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.9, #13).

And finally, fresh installments of "Dateline NBC" (3.51 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T17), "Minute to Win It" (5.16 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #14) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.86 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9) on NBC (5.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research