nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, march 25, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 18 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 CBS are approximate.]

CBS (10.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) edged out the competition on Sunday thanks to its mix of a "NCAA Overrun" (12.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "60 Minutes" (10.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4), "The Amazing Race 20" (9.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5), "The Good Wife" (9.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T12) and "CSI: Miami" (8.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

ABC (7.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then was a close second place with fresh installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.05 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15), "Once Upon a Time" (8.67 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) - series low, "Desperate Housewives" (8.71 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) and "GCB" (6.49 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6).

Next up was FOX (3.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and its combination of "The Simpsons" (2.34 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T16), "The Cleveland Show" (3.14 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14), another "The Simpsons" (4.12 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "Bob's Burgers" (3.96 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8), "Family Guy" (4.62 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7) and "American Dad" (4.27 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

And finally, new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (5.64 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T16), "Harry's Law" (8.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #18) - a series low - and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (5.99 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T12) - tied as its season low - rounded out the night on NBC (6.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+11.11% - CSI: Miami
+10.00% - GCB
+4.17% - 60 Minutes
+4.00% - Desperate Housewives
0.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice
0.00% - The Cleveland Show
-3.45% - Once Upon a Time
-4.76% - Bob's Burgers
-7.69% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-9.09% - American Dad
-9.09% - Dateline NBC
-10.00% - The Good Wife
-11.54% - The Amazing Race 20
-27.27% - Harry's Law

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+266.67% - GCB (vs. Brothers & Sisters (Repeat))
+188.89% - Desperate Housewives (vs. Desperate Housewives (Repeat))
+66.67% - Dateline NBC
+3.70% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Secret Millionaire)
-9.09% - Bob's Burgers
-11.76% - The Cleveland Show (vs. American Dad (Repeat))
-16.67% - 60 Minutes
-20.00% - American Dad
-25.00% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-25.93% - CSI: Miami
-28.13% - The Amazing Race 20
-38.46% - Harry's Law (vs. America's Next Great Restaurant)
-40.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-43.75% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/27/11):

CBS (12.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) claimed the top spot on Sunday with its mix of "NCAA Overrun" (16.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) followed by (half-hour results only) "60 Minutes" (13.73 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T4), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (10.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T2), "Undercover Boss" (11.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T2) and "CSI: Miami" (10.93 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8).

FOX (4.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with repeats of "The Simpsons" (3.41 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14) and "American Dad" (3.86 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12) followed by new episodes of "The Simpsons" (6.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6) and "Bob's Burgers" (4.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #11), a repeat of "Family Guy" (5.58 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6) and a special new "American Dad" (5.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5, #10).

Next up was NBC (6.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (3.59 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T17), "America's Next Great Restaurant" (3.65 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #15) and in a season high, "The Celebrity Apprentice" (8.47 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T4).

And finally, fresh installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.49 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13) and "Secret Millionaire" (10.52 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8) led into repeats of "Desperate Housewives" (4.13 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #16) and "Brothers & Sisters" (2.71 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T17) on ABC (6.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (36.40%), American Dad (25.00% vs. 2/20/11), The Amazing Race 17 (18.50%), Secret Millionaire (12.50%), The Simpsons (12.00% vs. 3/13/11), Undercover Boss (10.30%), America's Next Great Restaurant (8.30%), CSI: Miami (8.00%), The Celebrity Apprentice (7.10%), Bob's Burgers (0.00%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-5.90% vs. 3/13/11), Dateline NBC (-33.30%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research