nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, may 20, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (6.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on the final Sunday of the sweeps period thanks to the season finale of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and its coverage of "The 2012 Billboard Music Awards" (7.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1).

Second place then went to FOX (4.06 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) with a repeat of "The Simpsons" (2.39 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) followed by the season finales of "The Cleveland Show" (3.03 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9), "The Simpsons" (4.79 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4), "Bob's Burgers" (3.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (5.29 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2).

Next up was CBS (11.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) with a new "60 Minutes" (9.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8), a second "60 Minutes" (10.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and the original movie "Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt" (12.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

And finally, a rebroadcast of "America's Got Talent" (4.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) led into the season finale of "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) - the franchise's lowest finale ever with a celebrity cast - on NBC (5.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+22.22% - The Celebrity Apprentice
+16.67% - 60 Minutes
+10.53% - The Simpsons
+8.70% - Family Guy
0.00% - The Cleveland Show
-5.56% - Bob's Burgers
-6.25% - America's Funniest Home Videos

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-6.25% - 60 Minutes - 8:00
-6.67% - 60 Minutes - 7:00
-6.90% - The 2012 Billboard Music Awards (vs. The 2011 Billboard Music Awards)
-7.69% - Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (vs. Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost)
-16.00% - The Simpsons
-16.67% - Family Guy
-18.75% - The Cleveland Show (vs. American Dad)
-19.05% - Bob's Burgers
-24.14% - The Celebrity Apprentice

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/22/11):

ABC (7.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the adults 18-49 champ on Sunday with the season finale of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) followed by "The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" (7.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2).

FOX (4.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then took home the silver with a repeat of "The Simpsons" (2.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) followed by the season finales of "American Dad" (3.55 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6), "The Simpsons" (5.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4), "Bob's Burgers" (4.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (5.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1).

Next up was NBC (6.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "Dateline NBC" (5.02 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), "Minute to Win It" (4.16 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the season finale of "The Apprentice" (8.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2).

And finally, CBS (12.14 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) closed out the evening with its mix of "60 Minutes" (10.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), another "60 Minutes" (10.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and the original movie "Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost" (13.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Apprentice (20.80%), Minute to Win It (20.00%), Dateline NBC (18.20%), The Simpsons (0.00%), Bob's Burgers (-4.50%), American Dad (-5.90%), Family Guy (-9.10%), 60 Minutes (-11.80%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-16.70%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research