nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, september 22, 2013)

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 programming, Fast Nationals for FOX (from 7-7:30p), CBS and NBC are approximate. On CBS, the NFL Over-run aired until approximately 8:03p.]

NBC (16.498 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) held off the competition on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (6.037 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6), "Football Night in America #2" (7.516 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (14.528 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.0, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (18.689 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.9, #1).

CBS (16.279 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.8, #2) then served up the silver with a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (19.234 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #2) followed by "The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards" (15.294 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.3, #4).

Next up was FOX (2.608 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with its repeat lineup of "American Dad" (2.863 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "The Simpsons" (2.497 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), another "The Simpsons" (3.000 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7), "Bob's Burgers" (2.502 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8), "Family Guy" (2.705 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Dads" (2.078 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12).

And finally, ABC (3.284 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) closed out the evening with its second run combination of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.106 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13), "Once Upon a Time" (2.874 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14), "Revenge" (2.381 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and another "Revenge" (2.775 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-6.76% - Sunday Night Football
-19.35% - Football Night in America #3
-39.02% - Football Night in America #2
-40.00% - Football Night in America #1

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+30.30% - The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards
-13.79% - Football Night in America #2
-14.81% - Sunday Night Football
-15.25% - Football Night in America #3
-18.18% - Football Night in America #1

Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/23/12):

[EDITOR'S NOTE #1: Due to the nature of live programming, Fast Nationals for FOX (from 7-730p), ABC, CBS and NBC are approximate. On CBS, the NFL Overrun ran until approximately 8:07p with entertainment prime sliding.]

[EDITOR'S NOTE #2: The Emmy Awards aired live across the country and the time-period based Fast Affiliate Ratings are inaccurate, since they don't include pre-prime viewing in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. ABC has ordered true Fast Nationals from Nielsen, which will account for the pre-prime viewing and be sent out later this morning in a press release.]

"Sunday Night Football" (19.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1) once again topped the charts on Sunday as NBC (15.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1) was the network to beat. Leading off the night were its pre-game efforts "Football Night in America #1" (6.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7), "Football Night in America #2" (7.59 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6) and "Football Night in America #3" (14.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.9, #3).

CBS (11.37 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then took home the silver with a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (21.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.0, #2) followed by (half-hour results only) "NFL Overrun/60 Minutes" (14.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #4), "60 Minutes" (11.06 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7), "60 Minutes/Person of Interest" (6.62 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15), "Person of Interest" (5.34 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #19), "Person of Interest/The Mentalist" (5.41 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #18) and "The Mentalist" (5.18 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15).

Next up was ABC (10.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) and its "Countdown to the Emmys" (7.28 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11) special followed by its telecast of "The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards" (11.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5).

A year ago (9/18/11), FOX aired "The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (12.44 million viewers; adults 18-49: 4.2) to a larger audience.

And finally, FOX (3.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) closed out the night with its mix of "NFL Overrun/American Dad" (3.19 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14), "The Cleveland Show" (2.45 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15), "The Simpsons" (3.36 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12), "Bob's Burgers" (3.07 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13), "Family Guy" (4.01 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10) and another "Family Guy" (4.18 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
8.00% - Sunday Night Football

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
12.50% - Sunday Night Football

Source: Nielsen Media Research