nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, august 21, 2011)

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

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for NBC are approximate. Due to local NFL preseason preemptions, Fast Nationals for CBS are inflated.]

NBC (8.90 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "Dateline NBC" (6.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5), "NFL Preseason Pregame" (9.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) and "NFL Preseason: Chargers/Cowboys" (9.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1).

CBS (6.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then got bumped to second place with its combination of "60 Minutes" (8.50 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), "Big Brother 13" (8.82 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2), "The Good Wife" (4.19 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14) and "CSI: Miami" (5.23 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was ABC (5.45 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with encores of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.72 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and "20/20: The Sixth Sense" (5.91 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6).

And finally, repeats of "American Dad" (1.70 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.8, #16), "Bob's Burgers" (2.05 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14), "The Simpsons" (2.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8), "The Cleveland Show" (2.61 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Family Guy" (3.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) led into an original "In The Flow with Affion Crockett" (2.47 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) on FOX (2.59 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Big Brother 13 (32.0%), In The Flow with Affion Crockett (20.0%).

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/22/10):

Coverage of the "NFL Preseason: Vikings at 49ers" (9.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) was enough to put NBC (8.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) in front on Sunday. Leading off the night was "Dateline NBC" (6.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5).

A second place finish then went to CBS (6.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) with its mix of "60 Minutes" (8.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14), "Big Brother 12" (7.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2), "Undercover Boss" (5.69 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8) and "CSI: Miami" (5.50 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

Sharing the silver was FOX (3.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) with its all-repeat lineup of "American Dad" (2.02 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T15), "The Simpsons" (2.99 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), another "The Simpsons" (4.04 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T6), "The Cleveland Show" (3.98 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T6), "Family Guy" (4.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) and another "Family Guy" (4.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3).

And finally, ABC (5.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) closed out the evening with repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.54 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), another "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.79 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13) and a new "The Gates" (2.82 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T15).

Source: Nielsen Media Research