nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, may 1, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

[NOTE: Due to the networks' coverage of President Obama's speech, fast nationals for last night are unreliable.]

ABC (8.68 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) opened the month of May on top with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (9.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Desperate Housewives" (10.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and "Brothers & Sisters" (7.36 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9).

NBC (7.42 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then took home the silver with a new "Dateline NBC" (5.46 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #16), the season finale of "America's Next Great Restaurant" (6.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #13) and a new "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1).

Next up was CBS (9.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3) and its combination of "60 Minutes" (10.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (9.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5), the season finale of "Undercover Boss" (8.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7) and "CSI: Miami" (9.01 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9).

And finally, a one-hour repeat of "Family Guy" (3.46 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.4, #15) led into a new "The Simpsons" (6.11 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) and repeats of "The Cleveland Show" (4.85 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7), "Family Guy" (5.34 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5) and "American Dad" (4.51 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9) on FOX (4.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Next Great Restaurant (66.70%), Dateline NBC (62.50%), America's Funniest Home Videos (31.30% vs. 4/17/11), The Simpsons (26.10% vs. 4/10/11), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (22.70%), Undercover Boss (15.80% vs. 4/17/11), Brothers & Sisters (10.50%), The Celebrity Apprentice (10.30%), Desperate Housewives (3.40%), The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (0.00%), CSI: Miami (-4.50% vs. 4/17/11), 60 Minutes (-6.30%).

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/2/10):

ABC (8.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) took home the adults 18-49 crown on Sunday thanks to new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #14), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8.63 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #9), "Desperate Housewives" (12.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T1) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #8).

Second place then went to CBS (10.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) with its mix of "60 Minutes" (13.33 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T10), "The Amazing Race 16" (10.49 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4), "Cold Case" (9.63 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #12) and a second hour of "Cold Case" (10.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T10).

Next up was FOX (5.14 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and its combination of "'Til Death" (1.95 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.7, #17), a repeat of "The Simpsons" (2.43 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.0, #16) and new episodes of "The Simpsons" (6.06 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5), "The Cleveland Show" (5.74 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6), "Family Guy" (7.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T1) and another "Family Guy" (6.97 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3).

And finally, new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (5.17 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #15),"Minute to Win It" (5.64 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #13) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6) on NBC (6.20 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research