nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, february 12, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (34.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 11.5, #1) surged to the top spot on Sunday with its coverage of "The 54th Annual Grammy Awards" (41.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 14.4, #1). Leading off the night was its mainstay "60 Minutes" (14.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3).

ABC (6.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home a distant second place with fresh installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5), "Once Upon a Time" (8.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2), "Desperate Housewives" (6.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7) and "Pan Am" (2.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13).

Next up was FOX (3.55 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with an encore of "Bob's Burgers" (1.91 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) followed by new episodes of "The Cleveland Show" (2.73 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12), "The Simpsons" (4.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5), "Napoleon Dynamite" (3.81 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8), "Family Guy" (4.99 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4) and "American Dad" (3.54 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8).

And finally, two-hour editions of "Dateline NBC" (6.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) and "Fear Factor" (3.73 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11) on NBC (5.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+93.33% - 60 Minutes (vs. 1/29/12)
+33.33% - Dateline NBC (vs. 1/8/12)
+5.26% - America's Funniest Home Videos (vs. 1/29/12)
-7.69% - The Cleveland Show (vs. 1/29/12)
-11.76% - Once Upon a Time (vs. 1/29/12)
-16.67% - Family Guy (vs. 1/29/12)
-16.67% - The Simpsons (vs. 1/29/12)
-19.05% - Napoleon Dynamite (vs. 1/29/12)
-29.17% - American Dad (vs. 1/29/12)
-30.77% - Desperate Housewives (vs. 1/22/12)
-31.82% - Fear Factor (vs. 1/9/12)
-46.15% - Pan Am (vs. 1/22/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+114.29% - Fear Factor (vs. Harry's Law (Repeat)/Harry's Law (Repeat))
+87.50% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+45.45% - Dateline NBC
+39.81% - The 54th Annual Grammy Awards (vs. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards)
+38.10% - 60 Minutes
+11.11% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-19.05% - Napoleon Dynamite (vs. Bob's Burgers)
-21.88% - Family Guy
-25.93% - The Simpsons
-29.17% - American Dad (vs. The Cleveland Show)
-30.77% - Desperate Housewives
-36.84% - The Cleveland Show (vs. American Dad)
-61.11% - Pan Am (vs. Brothers & Sisters)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/13/11):

CBS (23.72 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.2, #1) coasted to victory with its presentation of "The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards" (27.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 10.3, #1). Said numbers were up from last year's "The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards" (26.61 million viewers; adults 18-49: 10.0 on 1/31/10). Leading off the night was a new "60 Minutes" (12.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6).

FOX (4.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then won the battle for the leftovers with its mix of a "The Simpsons" (2.94 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) repeat followed by new episodes of "American Dad" (3.94 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8), "The Simpsons" (5.62 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3), "Bob's Burgers" (4.22 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6), "Family Guy" (5.99 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "The Cleveland Show" (4.77 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5).

Next up was ABC (7.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with fresh installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (6.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "Desperate Housewives" (9.13 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) and "Brothers & Sisters" (6.40 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9).

And finally, a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) led into repeats of "Harry's Law" (4.63 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) and another "Harry's Law" (3.95 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on NBC (4.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (50.00% vs. 1/30/11), Dateline NBC (22.20%), The Cleveland Show (0.00% vs. 1/23/11), Bob's Burgers (-4.50% vs. 1/23/11), The Simpsons (-12.90% vs. 1/23/11), Family Guy (-13.50% vs. 1/16/11), American Dad (-13.60% vs. 1/23/11), Brothers & Sisters (-14.30% vs. 1/16/11), Desperate Housewives (-16.10% vs. 1/16/11), America's Funniest Home Videos (-18.20% vs. 1/30/11), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-40.70% vs. 1/30/11).

Source: Nielsen Media Research