nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, april 17, 2011)

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

ABC (7.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) won the tight demo race on Sunday thanks to a new "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.49 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12), the return of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8) and new episodes of "Desperate Housewives" (8.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and "Brothers & Sisters" (6.33 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10) - both tied for their series lows.

CBS (9.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2) and FOX (4.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2) then split the silver as the latter offered up repeats of "The Cleveland Show" (2.38 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.0, #16), "American Dad" (2.69 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.1, #15) and "The Simpsons" (4.15 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10) followed by new episodes of "American Dad" (4.70 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6), "Family Guy" (6.04 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) and "The Cleveland Show" (4.70 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T4).

The Eye then served up fresh installments of "60 Minutes" (10.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (8.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T4), "Undercover Boss" (8.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8) - also a series low - and "CSI: Miami" (9.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6).

And finally, new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (4.63 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #17), "America's Next Great Restaurnt" (3.74 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) - tied for its series low - and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (7.41 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) on NBC (5.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): American Dad (37.50%), America's Funniest Home Videos (0.00% vs. 4/3/11), America's Next Great Restaurnt (0.00%), Dateline NBC (0.00%), Desperate Housewives (-3.60% vs. 4/3/11), The Cleveland Show (-4.20%), CSI: Miami (-4.30%), Brothers & Sisters (-5.60%), Family Guy (-9.10%), The Celebrity Apprentice (-13.80%), The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (-20.70%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-24.00% vs. 2/20/11), Undercover Boss (-34.50%), 60 Minutes (-45.80%).

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/18/10):

CBS (12.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) slid into the top spot on Sunday thanks to a new "60 Minutes" (10.75 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12) and its coverage of "The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards" (13.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2).

Second place then went to ABC (7.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) with repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.66 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11) and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (6.67 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9) followed by new episodes of "Desperate Housewives" (10.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) and "Brothers & Sisters" (7.94 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

Next up was NBC (6.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) and its combination of "Dateline NBC" (5.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13), "Minute to Win It" (5.93 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5).

And finally, FOX (4.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) rounded out the evening with its mix of "'Til Death" (1.77 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15), "The Simpsons" (2.46 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14), another "The Simpsons" (5.93 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "The Cleveland Show" (5.09 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7), "Family Guy" (6.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and "American Dad" (5.17 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6).

Source: Nielsen Media Research