nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, february 26, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live programming, Fast Nationals for ABC are approximate.]

ABC (30.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.8, #1) topped the charts on Sunday with its coverage of "The 84th Annual Academy Awards" (34.36 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 10.2, #1). Leading off the night were its pre-show specials "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #1" (19.02 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.8, #4), "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #2" (23.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.2, #3) and "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #3" (30.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.1, #2).

A distant silver then went to CBS (6.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with new episodes of "60 Minutes" (7.30 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "The Amazing Race 20" (7.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5) followed by repeats of "The Mentalist" (4.87 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15) and "CSI: Miami" (5.19 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12).

Next up was NBC (4.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and its mix of "Dateline NBC" (4.98 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13), a one-hour "The Celebrity Apprentice" (2.55 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T16) recap and a new "The Celebrity Apprentice" (5.00 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6).

And finally, repeats of "Bob's Burgers" (2.04 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T16), "The Cleveland Show" (2.51 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14), "The Simpsons" (3.89 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7), "Napoleon Dynamite" (3.58 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7), "Family Guy" (3.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7) and "American Dad" (3.25 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10) on FOX (3.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-19.23% - The Amazing Race 20
-30.77% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-31.25% - Dateline NBC
-38.10% - 60 Minutes

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+80.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat)/Minute to Win It (Repeat))
+37.50% - Dateline NBC
8.33% - 60 Minutes
0.00% - The Amazing Race 20
-3.77% - The 84th Annual Academy Awards (vs. The 83rd Annual Academy Awards)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/27/11):

ABC (30.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.1, #1) as expected was the network to beat with its coverage of "The 83rd Annual Academy Awards" (33.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 10.6, #1). Leading off the night were its pre-ceremony specials "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #1" (18.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.4, #4), "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #2" (22.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.9, #3) and "Oscar's Red Carpet Live #3" (32.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 9.1, #2).

Said coverage was off significantly from last year's "The 82nd Annual Academy Awards" (39.24 million viewers; adults 18-49: 12.5 on 3/7/10) - 14.70% in total viewers and 15.20% in adults 18-49.

FOX (4.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed a distant silver with its all-repeat lineup of "The Simpsons" (4.02 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10), "American Dad" (3.48 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), another "The Simpsons" (4.91 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "Bob's Burgers" (3.83 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (4.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7).

Next up was CBS (7.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with new episodes of "60 Minutes" (8.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13) and "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (7.62 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6) followed by a repeat of "Undercover Boss" (5.64 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12) and a new "CSI: Miami" (8.18 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7).

And finally, a new "Dateline NBC" (4.70 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T15) led into repeats of "Minute to Win It" (2.58 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #17), another "Minute to Win It" (3.61 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) and yet another "Minute to Win It" (2.44 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T15) on NBC (3.33 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Dateline NBC (0.00%), CSI: Miami (-9.10%), 60 Minutes (-14.30%), The Amazing Race 17 (-16.00%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research