nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, april 15, 2012)

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

CBS (9.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) took home top honors in a tight race on Sunday thanks to its mix of "60 Minutes" (10.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11), "The Amazing Race 20" (9.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1), "The Good Wife" (9.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T6) and the premiere of "NYC 22" (8.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8).

FOX (3.77 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then claimed the silver with repeats of "The Simpsons" (2.36 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15) and "The Cleveland Show" (2.67 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) followed by new episodes of "The Simpsons" (4.86 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) and "Bob's Burgers" (3.78 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T6), a repeat of "Family Guy" (4.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) and a new "The Cleveland Show" (4.33 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5).

Next up was NBC (6.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with original installments of "Dateline NBC" (4.82 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12), "Harry's Law" (8.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T16) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.62 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4).

And finally, a new "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.28 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and a repeat of "Once Upon a Time" (4.14 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) led into "Titanic, Part 4" (4.17 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T16) and a new "GCB" (4.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) - its lowest rating to date - on ABC (4.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - The Cleveland Show (vs. 3/25/12)
+30.00% - Dateline NBC
+25.00% - America's Funniest Home Videos (vs. 3/25/12)
+16.28% - The Amazing Race 20
+12.50% - Bob's Burgers (vs. 4/1/12)
+5.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice
0.00% - The Good Wife (vs. 3/25/12)
-8.33% - The Simpsons (vs. 3/18/12)
-10.00% - Harry's Law
-21.05% - GCB
-53.33% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+44.44% - Dateline NBC
+29.41% - The Simpsons
+8.70% - The Amazing Race 20
+7.69% - 60 Minutes
-5.26% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)
-6.25% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-11.76% - GCB (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-13.04% - The Cleveland Show
-16.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-18.18% - Bob's Burgers (vs. American Dad)
-25.00% - Harry's Law (vs. America's Next Great Restaurant)
-31.82% - NYC 22 (vs. CSI: Miami)
-66.67% - Titanic, Part 4 (vs. Desperate Housewives)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/17/11):

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%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research