nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, april 8, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.75 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "PGA Overrun" (17.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1), "60 Minutes" (13.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2), "The Amazing Race 20" (9.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), a repeat of "The Good Wife" (7.54 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8) and the season finale of "CSI: Miami" (7.37 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

NBC (6.38 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then took home the silver with its combination of "Dateline NBC" (4.98 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13), "Harry's Law" (7.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4).

Next up was ABC (4.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "Once Upon a Time" (3.78 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) followed by a new "GCB" (5.25 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7) and a second hour of "GCB" (5.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5).

And finally, FOX (2.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) closed out the evening with its all-repeat lineup of "The Simpsons" (1.83 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.8, #18), "The Cleveland Show" (2.00 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.9, #17), another "The Simpsons" (3.08 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T9), "Bob's Burgers" (2.71 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12), "Family Guy" (3.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and "American Dad" (3.44 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+130.77% - 60 Minutes
+25.00% - Harry's Law (vs. 3/25/12)
+11.11% - The Celebrity Apprentice
0.00% - GCB - 10:00
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-6.52% - The Amazing Race 20 (vs. 3/25/12)
-30.00% - CSI: Miami (vs. 3/25/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - 60 Minutes
+11.11% - Dateline NBC
+5.56% - GCB - 10:00 (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-5.56% - GCB - 9:00 (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-16.67% - Harry's Law (vs. America's Next Great Restaurant)
-25.86% - The Amazing Race 20
-31.03% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-39.13% - CSI: Miami

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/10/11):

CBS (11.19 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) slipped into the top spot on Sunday thanks to its mix of "PGA Overrun" (13.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) followed by (half-hour results only) "60 Minutes" (12.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (10.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2), "Undercover Boss" (10.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2) and "CSI: Miami" (9.54 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8).

FOX (4.34 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then claimed the silver with an encore of "The Cleveland Show" (2.11 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.0, #16) alongside new episodes of "American Dad" (3.33 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.6, #14), "The Simpsons" (5.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8), "Bob's Burgers" (4.00 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "Family Guy" (6.61 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) and "The Cleveland Show" (4.99 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6).

Next up was NBC (6.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with fresh installments of "Dateline NBC" (4.35 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #17), "America's Next Great Restaurnt" (3.48 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) - a season low - and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (8.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2).

And finally, ABC (7.20 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) closed out the night with a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.63 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #13), the season finale of "Secret Millionaire" (9.14 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8) - also a season low - and a two-hour "Brothers & Sisters" (6.51 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (60.00%), The Cleveland Show (9.10%), American Dad (0.00%), Family Guy (-2.90% vs. 3/20/11), The Celebrity Apprentice (-3.30%), Undercover Boss (-9.40% vs. 3/27/11), The Amazing Race 17 (-9.40% vs. 3/27/11), Dateline NBC (-10.00%), Secret Millionaire (-11.50%), Bob's Burgers (-13.60% vs. 3/27/11), America's Next Great Restaurnt (-14.30%), CSI: Miami (-14.80% vs. 3/27/11), The Simpsons (-17.90% vs. 3/27/11), Brothers & Sisters (-18.20% vs. 3/6/11).

Source: Nielsen Media Research