"60 MINUTES" DRAWS 18.7 MILLION VIEWERS - ITS LARGEST AUDIENCE IN OVER TWO YEARS

RANKS #3 TO MAKE TOP 5 FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

60 MINUTES drew another huge audience Sunday (19) night -- its largest in over two years -- attracting 18.7 million viewers. The big audience propelled it to #3 for the week, the third straight week the CBS news magazine finished in Nielsen's top 5.

America's number-one news program also won its time period in viewers and other key demos, including households (11.2/19), adults 25-54 (5.3/14) and adults 18-49 (4.0/12), according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Sunday, Dec. 19.

It was 60 MINUTES' best deliveries in households, viewers and adults 25-54 since December 14, 2008 and in adults 18-49 since January 17, 2010. The broadcast has finished among Nielsen's Top 10 programs for eight of the past 13 weeks.

60 MINUTES drew 17.6 million viewers last week.

Sunday's (19) 60 MINUTES featured a Steve Kroft report on the dire financial conditions of America's states and municipalities and a Lesley Stahl story about a tiny group of people who can recall nearly every day of their lives.

Jeff Fager is the executive producer of 60 MINUTES.