nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, september 30, 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 sports, Fast Nationals for FOX (from 7-8p) and NBC are approximate.]

NBC (16.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1) held off its premiere competition thanks to its coverage of "Sunday Night Football" (20.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1). Opening the night were its pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (5.78 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.9, #14), "Football Night in America #2" (7.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8) and "Football Night in America #3" (16.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.2, #3).

FOX (10.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #2) then claimed the silver thanks to a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (20.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.8, #2) followed by the season premieres of "The Simpsons" (7.97 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.7, #5), "Bob's Burgers" (5.40 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9), "Family Guy" (6.53 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.3, #6) and "American Dad" (5.23 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9).

Next up was ABC (8.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) and its recap special "Once Upon a Time: Magic Is Coming" (6.00 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T15) alongside the return of "Once Upon a Time" (11.01 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Revenge" (9.50 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #7) as well as the premiere of "666 Park Avenue" (6.97 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #12).

And finally, the season premieres of "60 Minutes" (11.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T15), "The Amazing Race 21" (9.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9), "The Good Wife" (9.81 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T15) and "The Mentalist" (10.83 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #13) on CBS (10.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Sunday Night Football

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+80.95% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+23.33% - The Simpsons
+20.00% - Once Upon a Time: Magic Is Coming (vs. America's Funniest Home Videos)
+10.96% - Sunday Night Football
+10.34% - Revenge (vs. Desperate Housewives)
-3.85% - Bob's Burgers (vs. The Cleveland Show)
-5.71% - Family Guy
-7.41% - American Dad
-8.70% - The Mentalist (vs. CSI: Miami)
-12.00% - 666 Park Avenue (vs. Pan Am)
-14.29% - The Good Wife
-16.67% - The Amazing Race 21
-48.57% - 60 Minutes

Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/2/11):

NBC (14.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.9, #1) dominated the competition last night thanks to its coverage of "Sunday Night Football" (17.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.3, #1). Kicking off the night were pre-game specials "Football Night in America #1" (6.75 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T14), "Football Night in America #2" (9.43 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Football Night in America #3" (12.51 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.9, #3).

CBS (12.93 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home a distant second place with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (18.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #2), "60 Minutes" (16.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T5), "The Amazing Race" (10.77 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T7), "The Good Wife" (10.78 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T16) and "CSI: Miami" (9.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T14).

Next up was FOX (5.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with encores of "The Cleveland Show" (6.31 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.4, #13) and "The Simpsons" (4.55 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 2.0, #18) followed by new episodes of "The Simpsons" (6.12 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T7), "The Cleveland Show" (5.47 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 2.6, #11), "Family Guy" (6.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T5) and "American Dad" (5.71 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.7, #10).

And finally, the return of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.44 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #19) lead into new episodes of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.11 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T16), "Desperate Housewives" (9.03 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #9) and "Pan Am" (7.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #12) on ABC (7.58 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+34.62% - 60 Minutes
+4.55% - CSI: Miami
+1.39% - Sunday Night Football
0.00% - The Amazing Race
-4.55% - The Good Wife
-6.45% - Desperate Housewives
-8.70% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
-10.00% - American Dad
-14.63% - Family Guy
-16.13% - The Cleveland Show
-19.35% - Pan Am
-21.05% - The Simpsons

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - 60 Minutes
+2.82% - Sunday Night Football
-6.90% - American Dad
-9.09% - The Amazing Race
-10.26% - Family Guy
-16.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
-16.13% - The Cleveland Show
-16.67% - Pan Am (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-16.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-26.83% - The Simpsons
-28.13% - CSI: Miami
-32.56% - Desperate Housewives
-47.50% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)

Source: Nielsen Media Research