nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, december 30, 2012)

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

NBC (23.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1) closed its Sunday lineup with a bang thanks to the season finales of "Football Night in America #1" (7.75 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7), "Football Night in America #2" (10.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (21.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 7.1, #4) and "Sunday Night Football" (26.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1).

FOX (10.29 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its combination of "NFL Overrun" (23.45 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.8, #2), "The OT" (20.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 7.2, #3) and repeats of "The Simpsons" (6.61 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6), "Bob's Burgers" (3.69 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10), "Family Guy" (3.87 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9) and "American Dad" (3.15 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.49 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) offered up its own "NFL Overrun" (9.36 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8) alongside "60 Minutes" (9.80 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11),"NCIS" (7.29 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14), "The Good Wife" (5.57 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T16) and "The Mentalist" (5.21 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T16).

And finally, encores of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.19 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2.98 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) on ABC (3.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+73.58% - Sunday Night Football -67.39% - 60 Minutes (vs. 12/16/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+5.75% - Sunday Night Football -50.00% - 60 Minutes

Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/1/13):

NBC (20.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.0, #1) posted its most-watched Sunday of the season thanks to "Football Night in America #1" (7.70 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6), "Football Night in America #2" (11.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.9, #4), "Football Night in America #3" (19.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.5, #3) and the season finale of "Sunday Night Football" (24.61 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.7, #1).

A distant silver then went to CBS (10.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (25.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #2) and "60 Minutes" (14.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5) followed by repeats of "Unforgettable" (7.29 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T12), "The Good Wife" (6.26 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15) and "CSI: Miami" (5.76 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15).

Next up was FOX (3.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) and its lineup of "NFL Overrun" (4.59 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9), "The OT" (5.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7) as well as repeats of "The Simpsons" (3.60 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), "The Cleveland Show" (2.84 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T12), "Family Guy" (3.54 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8) and "American Dad" (3.00 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

And finally, repeats of "Once Upon a Time" (3.35 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #19), another "Once Upon a Time" (4.12 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15), yet another "Once Upon a Time" (3.93 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15) and even more "Once Upon a Time" (3.80 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) on ABC (3.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+227.78% - 60 Minutes +28.24% - Sunday Night Football

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+52.98% - Sunday Night Football +47.50% - 60 Minutes

Source: Nielsen Media Research