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[09/29/14 - 08:46 AM]
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC, "Sunday Night Football" Hold Off Premieres on FOX, ABC
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/28/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to NFL coverage, Fast Nationals for FOX from 7-8p and NBC for the night are approximate.]

NBC (17.617 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1) was of course the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (6.231 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.0, #12), "Football Night in America #2" (8.021 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.7, #9), "Football Night in America #3" (16.060 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.7, #4) and "Sunday Night Football" (19.847 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.6, #1).

The silver then went to FOX (11.753 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.9, #2) with its lineup of "NFL Overrun" (20.659 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.3, #2), "The OT" (19.125 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.8, #3) and the season premieres of "The Simpsons" (8.497 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.9, #7), "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (5.447 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.6, #10), "Family Guy" (8.083 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 4.3, #6) and another "Family Guy" (8.705 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 4.7, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.824 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with its recap special "Once Upon a Time: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over" (5.138 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13) followed by the respective premieres of "Once Upon a Time" (9.337 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #8), "Resurrection" (7.566 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.2, #11) and "Revenge" (5.255 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T14).

And finally, new episodes of "60 Minutes" (9.167 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #18), "Madam Secretary" (12.658 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T14), "The Good Wife" (11.195 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #17) and the return of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.661 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T14) on CBS (10.670 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Football Night in America #1
+22.73% - Football Night in America #2
+14.00% - Football Night in America #3
+5.56% - Sunday Night Football
0.00% - The Good Wife
-26.32% - Madam Secretary
-69.44% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+123.81% - Family Guy - 9:30 (vs. American Dad)
+65.38% - Family Guy - 9:00
+39.29% - The Simpsons
+30.77% - Once Upon a Time
+23.81% - Brooklyn Nine-Nine (vs. Bob's Burgers)
+15.38% - Once Upon a Time: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over
+13.43% - Sunday Night Football
+7.55% - Football Night in America #3
-4.76% - Football Night in America #1
-6.67% - Revenge (vs. Betrayal)
-8.33% - Resurrection (vs. Revenge)
-12.50% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. The Mentalist)
-13.33% - The Good Wife
-20.59% - Football Night in America #2
-21.43% - 60 Minutes (vs. NFL Overrun/60 Minutes)
-30.00% - Madam Secretary (vs. The Amazing Race)


Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/29/13):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for FOX (from 7-8p), CBS and NBC are approximate.]

NBC (15.347 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) held off the competition on Sunday with its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1" (6.173 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T10), "Football Night in America #2" (9.286 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (14.987 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.3, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (18.466 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1).

FOX (8.062 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then was the number two draw with its combination of "NFL Overrun" (17.636 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.3, #2), "The OT" (10.508 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.0, #4) and the season premieres of "The Simpsons" (6.292 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "Bob's Burgers" (4.412 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T10), "Family Guy" (5.247 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T7) and "American Dad" (4.277 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T10).

Next up was ABC (6.711 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) and its premiere lineup of "Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland" (5.066 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T18), "Once Upon a Time" (8.450 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T7) - its lowest-rated premiere ever, "Revenge" (8.037 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.4, #9) - likewise its lowest-rated premiere ever - and "Betrayal" (5.289 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T15) - matching ABC's lowest in-season Sunday debut ever.

And finally, CBS (9.453 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) closed out the evening with "NFL Overrun/60 Minutes" (9.365 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T18) followed by "60 Minutes" (11.405 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T15) and the return of "The Amazing Race 23" (8.779 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #13), "The Good Wife" (8.932 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T15) and "The Mentalist" (9.716 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #14) - all of which were their lowest-rated premieres ever.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+36.00% - Football Night in America #2
+16.67% - Football Night in America #1
6.00% - Football Night in America #3
-2.90% - Sunday Night Football

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+21.43% - Football Night in America #2
+10.53% - Football Night in America #1
-14.52% - Football Night in America #3
-16.00% - Bob's Burgers
-16.00% - American Dad
-16.67% - 60 Minutes
-16.67% - The Good Wife
-17.28% - Sunday Night Football
-20.00% - The Amazing Race 23
-21.21% - Family Guy
-23.81% - The Mentalist
-24.32% - The Simpsons
-25.00% - Revenge
-27.78% - Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland
-31.58% - Once Upon a Time
-31.82% - Betrayal (vs. 666 Park Avenue)

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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