nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, may 8, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.33 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with a new "60 Minutes" (13.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) followed by the season finale of "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (8.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3) and "CSI: Miami" (9.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

ABC (7.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) and FOX (4.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) then split the silver as the latter offered up its mix of a "The Simpsons" (2.32 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) repeat alongside new episodes of "American Dad" (3.25 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13), "The Simpsons" (5.48 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3), "Bob's Burgers" (4.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9), "Family Guy" (6.52 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) and "The Cleveland Show" (4.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7).

The Alphabet offered up fresh installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.39 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8), "Desperate Housewives" (9.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) and the season finale of "Brothers & Sisters" (7.18 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

And finally, a new "Dateline NBC" (3.87 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) led into an expanded three-hour edition of "The Celebrity Apprentice" (7.01 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) on NBC (6.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (53.30%), Bob's Burgers (5.30% vs. 4/10/11), The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (0.00%), Family Guy (-3.00% vs. 4/10/11), CSI: Miami (-4.80%), Brothers & Sisters (-4.80%), American Dad (-6.30% vs. 4/10/11), Desperate Housewives (-6.70%), The Cleveland Show (-8.30% vs. 4/10/11), The Simpsons (-13.80%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-19.00%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-22.20%), The Celebrity Apprentice (-25.00%), Dateline NBC (-38.50%).

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/9/10):

ABC (8.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) snagged top adults 18-49 honors on Sunday thanks to new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.53 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.60 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9), "Desperate Housewives" (11.16 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #T1) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.29 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T7).

FOX (4.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "'Til Death" (1.81 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16), "The Simpsons" (2.74 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14), another "The Simpsons" (5.66 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6), "The Cleveland Show" (5.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T7), "Family Guy" (7.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.8, #T1) and "American Dad" (5.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T3).

Next up was NBC (5.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "Dateline NBC" (3.64 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15), "Minute to Win It" (5.09 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (7.32 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T3).

And finally, a new "60 Minutes" (10.85 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11), the season finale of "The Amazing Race 16" (10.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T3) and the premiere of "Jesse Stone: No Remorse" (11.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13) on CBS (11.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research