nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, october 14, 2012)

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 CBS, FOX and NBC are approximate.]

NBC (14.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) took home an easy win on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (5.73 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T11), "Football Night in America #2" (9.08 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (14.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.3, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (17.72 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.9, #1).

FOX (8.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then snagged a distant silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (17.05 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.2, #2), "The OT" (11.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.4, #4) and coverage of the "NLCS, Game 1" (6.00 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T11).

Next up was CBS (10.41 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with originals from "60 Minutes" (12.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T8), "The Amazing Race 21" (9.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T8), "The Good Wife" (9.04 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #13) and "The Mentalist" (10.62 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10).

And finally, ABC (7.01 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) closed out the night with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.77 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #15), "Once Upon a Time" (9.14 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.0, #6), "Revenge" (8.21 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7) and "666 Park Avenue" (4.92 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - The Mentalist
+11.29% - Sunday Night Football
+4.00% - The Amazing Race 21
+3.85% - Revenge
0.00% - The Good Wife
-6.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-9.09% - Once Upon a Time
-11.76% - 666 Park Avenue
-31.58% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+57.89% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+36.84% - 60 Minutes
+21.05% - Sunday Night Football
+4.00% - The Amazing Race 21
0.00% - Revenge (vs. Desperate Housewives)
-6.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-16.67% - The Mentalist (vs. CSI: Miami)
-16.67% - 666 Park Avenue (vs. Pan Am)
-19.05% - The Good Wife

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/16/11):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals are approximate for FOX from 7-8p and for NBC on the night. Due to NFL overrun in over 13% of the US, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate on the night.]

NBC (12.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) held onto to the top spot on Sunday with its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1" (5.37 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T14), "Football Night in America #2" (8.06 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.0, #7), "Football Night in America #3" (12.73 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #4) and "Sunday Night Football" (14.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.7, #2).

FOX (11.61 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #2) then was a competitive second place with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (23.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.7, #1), "The OT" (11.79 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.7, #3), a special "The X Factor" (8.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.4, #5) and a second hour of "The X Factor" (8.56 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.3, #6).

Next up was CBS (10.20 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with fresh installments of "60 Minutes" (11.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T12), "The Amazing Race" (9.26 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #9), "The Good Wife" (10.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11) and "CSI: Miami" (10.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.43 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #16), the Friday-bound "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.10 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T12), "Desperate Housewives" (8.24 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8) and "Pan Am" (5.89 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T14) on ABC (6.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - CSI: Miami
+7.14% - America's Funniest Home Videos
0.00% - Desperate Housewives
-4.55% - The Good Wife
-5.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
-5.26% - Pan Am
-7.41% - The Amazing Race
-27.85% - Sunday Night Football
-47.22% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-11.11% - CSI: Miami
-12.31% - Sunday Night Football
-16.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-17.39% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
-26.47% - The Amazing Race
-28.95% - Desperate Housewives
-32.14% - 60 Minutes
-33.33% - Pan Am (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-37.31% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)

Source: Nielsen Media Research