nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, april 29, 2012)

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

ABC (7.37 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) topped the first Sunday of the May sweeps period thanks to new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.66 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), "Once Upon a Time" (9.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1), "Desperate Housewives" (8.09 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "GCB" (5.66 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6).

FOX (4.05 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with a repeat of "The Simpsons" (2.55 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.1, #15) followed by new episodes of "The Cleveland Show" (3.11 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), "The Simpsons" (5.00 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4), "Bob's Burgers" (3.94 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6), "Family Guy" (5.66 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) and another "The Cleveland Show" (4.04 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6).

Next up was CBS (8.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) - the night's most-watched network - with new episodes of "60 Minutes" (9.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13) - its season low - and "The Amazing Race 20" (8.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) - tied as its season low, the season finale of "The Good Wife" (9.83 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) - tied as its series low - and week three of "NYC 22" (7.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13).

And finally, originals of "Dateline NBC" (3.38 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #17), "Harry's Law" (7.36 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #16) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" (6.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6) on NBC (5.82 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+26.67% - GCB (vs. 4/15/12)
+25.00% - The Cleveland Show (vs. 4/1/12)
+12.00% - Family Guy (vs. 4/1/12)
+5.56% - Bob's Burgers (vs. 4/15/12)
+4.55% - The Simpsons (vs. 4/15/12)
0.00% - Once Upon a Time
0.00% - Harry's Law
-3.85% - Desperate Housewives (vs. 4/1/12)
-5.00% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-5.00% - The Cleveland Show (vs. 4/15/12)
-5.56% - The Good Wife
-6.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos (vs. 4/15/12)
-12.00% - The Amazing Race 20
-14.29% - NYC 22
-29.41% - 60 Minutes
-33.33% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+12.00% - Family Guy (vs. Family Guy (Repeat))
+7.41% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+7.14% - The Cleveland Show (vs. Family Guy (Repeat))
-9.52% - GCB (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-9.52% - The Cleveland Show (vs. American Dad (Repeat))
-12.00% - The Amazing Race 20
-13.64% - Bob's Burgers (vs. The Cleveland Show (Repeat))
-16.67% - Desperate Housewives
-20.00% - 60 Minutes
-20.69% - The Simpsons
-22.73% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)
-33.33% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-38.46% - Dateline NBC
-40.63% - The Celebrity Apprentice
-42.86% - NYC 22 (vs. CSI: Miami)
-55.00% - Harry's Law (vs. America's Next Great Restaurant)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/1/11):

[NOTE: Due to the networks' coverage of President Obama's speech, fast nationals for last night are unreliable.]

ABC (8.68 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) opened the month of May on top with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (9.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Desperate Housewives" (10.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and "Brothers & Sisters" (7.36 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9).

NBC (7.42 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then took home the silver with a new "Dateline NBC" (5.46 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #16), the season finale of "America's Next Great Restaurant" (6.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #13) and a new "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1).

Next up was CBS (9.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3) and its combination of "60 Minutes" (10.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14), "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" (9.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5), the season finale of "Undercover Boss" (8.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7) and "CSI: Miami" (9.01 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9).

And finally, a one-hour repeat of "Family Guy" (3.46 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.4, #15) led into a new "The Simpsons" (6.11 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) and repeats of "The Cleveland Show" (4.85 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T7), "Family Guy" (5.34 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5) and "American Dad" (4.51 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9) on FOX (4.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Next Great Restaurant (66.70%), Dateline NBC (62.50%), America's Funniest Home Videos (31.30% vs. 4/17/11), The Simpsons (26.10% vs. 4/10/11), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (22.70%), Undercover Boss (15.80% vs. 4/17/11), Brothers & Sisters (10.50%), The Celebrity Apprentice (10.30%), Desperate Housewives (3.40%), The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (0.00%), CSI: Miami (-4.50% vs. 4/17/11), 60 Minutes (-6.30%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research