nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, september 11, 2011)

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 FOX are approximate from 7-8p and for NBC from 7-11p.]

NBC (19.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.8, #1) dominated the competition on Sunday with the formal return of "Sunday Night Football" (23.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.5, #1). Leading off the night were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (7.46 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7), "Football Night in America #2" (11.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.6, #4) and "Football Night in America #3" (19.60 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.8, #2).

FOX (7.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (17.86 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 7.2, #3), "The OT" (10.40 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.4, #5), "The Simpsons" (5.21 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), "Family Guy" (4.07 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) and the departing "In The Flow with Affion Crockett" (2.67 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11).

Next up was CBS (9.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and its combination of "60 Minutes" (7.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11), "9/11: 10 Years Later" (12.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.6, #6) and "The Good Wife" (4.97 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T15).

And finally, repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.14 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.35 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13) and "20/20: The Sixth Sense" (4.42 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T15) led into the special "Primetime: Remembrance and Renewal - 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks" (5.46 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) on ABC (4.84 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): In The Flow with Affion Crockett (18.2%).

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/12/10):

A monster start to "Sunday Night Football" (22.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.6, #1) put NBC (20.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.5, #1) in front on Sunday. Leading off the night were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (6.71 million viewers, #T7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7), "Football Night in America #2" (8.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "Football Night in America #3" (18.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.7, #3).

The silver then went to FOX (9.11 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) which got some sparks from "NFL Overrun" (20.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.1, #2) and "The OT" (14.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 6.1, #4) followed by repeats of "The Simpsons" (6.47 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6),"The Cleveland Show" (4.18 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "Family Guy" (4.35 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10) and another "Family Guy" (4.54 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7).

Next up was CBS (6.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with its mix of "60 Minutes" (8.16 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15), "Big Brother 12" (6.71 million viewers, #T7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7), "Undercover Boss" (4.76 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T13) and "CSI: Miami" (5.33 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T16).

And finally on ABC (4.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4), repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.45 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T13), another "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.95 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12) and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (3.74 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T16) lead into the penultimate week of "The Gates" (2.09 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.7, #18).

Source: Nielsen Media Research