nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, october 30, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to NFL overrun in 31% of the country, Fast Nationals for FOX are approximate from 7-730p. Due to NFL, Fast Nationals for NBC and CBS are approximate. CBS primetime began at 7:29p with prime sliding.]

NBC (16.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1) was the network to beat last night thanks to a new "Sunday Night Football" (20.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.2, #2). Leading off the night were its weekly pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (7.02 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T12), "Football Night in America #2" (11.16 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.4, #4) and "Football Night in America #3" (15.14 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.9, #3).

CBS (14.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (27.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.1, #1), "60 Minutes" (18.26 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #5), "The Amazing Race" (10.94 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #10), "The Good Wife" (10.19 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T15) and "CSI: Miami" (9.47 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T15).

Next up was ABC (7.93 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with an encore of "Once Upon a Time" (5.20 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #19) followed by week two of "Once Upon a Time" (11.64 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.9, #7) and new episodes of "Desperate Housewives" (9.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.1, #9) and "Pan Am" (5.59 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T17).

And finally, repeats of "The Cleveland Show" (4.84 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T17) and "The Simpsons" (5.41 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.5, #11) led into a new "The Simpsons" (8.01 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 4.0, #6), the premiere of "Allen Gregory" (4.74 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T12), a new "Family Guy" (5.97 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.2, #8) and a special "The Cleveland Show" (4.63 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 2.3, #14) on FOX (5.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+78.26% - Sunday Night Football
+68.00% - 60 Minutes
+33.33% - The Simpsons (vs. 10/2/11)
+7.41% - The Amazing Race
+5.56% - Pan Am
+3.33% - Desperate Housewives
0.00% - Once Upon a Time
0.00% - The Good Wife
-4.76% - CSI: Miami
-8.57% - Family Guy (vs. 10/2/11)
-11.54% - The Cleveland Show (vs. 10/2/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+162.50% - 60 Minutes
+116.67% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+24.24% - Sunday Night Football
+16.00% - The Amazing Race
+5.82% - The Simpsons (vs. World Series, Game 4)
-11.43% - Desperate Housewives
-15.34% - Family Guy (vs. World Series, Game 4)
-17.39% - Pan Am (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-23.08% - CSI: Miami
-32.20% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)
-36.51% - Allen Gregory (vs. World Series, Game 4)
-39.15% - The Cleveland Show (vs. World Series, Game 4)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/31/10):

NBC (13.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) took home the demo crown on Sunday thanks to its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1" (4.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12), "Football Night in America #2" (6.84 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T7), "Football Night in America #3" (12.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.8, #2) and "Sunday Night Football" (16.36 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1).

FOX (13.33 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) then had to settle for second place with its coverage of the "World Series, Game 4" (13.33 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3).

Next up was CBS (10.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with its combination of "60 Minutes" (10.74 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "The Amazing Race 17" (9.22 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T7), "Undercover Boss" (10.39 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5) and "CSI: Miami" (9.86 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (6.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10), "Desperate Housewives" (10.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9) on ABC (7.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): CSI: Miami (8.30%), Desperate Housewives (-10.30%), Undercover Boss (-10.60%), Brothers & Sisters (-11.50%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-22.20%), Sunday Night Football (-23.30%), The Amazing Race 17 (-24.20%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-25.00%), 60 Minutes (-51.50%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research