nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, august 25, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (5.996 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) was the demo champ on Sunday with its coverage of the "Madden NFL 14 Pigskin Pro-Am" (4.245 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4) and "NFL Preseason: Vikings at 49ers" (6.580 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2).

CBS (6.721 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home the number two spot with its mix of "60 Minutes" (8.586 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9), "Big Brother 15" (7.095 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1), "Unforgettable" (6.747 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) and "The Mentalist" (4.459 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13).

Next up was FOX (2.975 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its lineup of "NFL Overrun/American Dad" (4.109 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3), "The Simpsons" (2.490 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), another "The Simpsons" (3.147 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4), "Bob's Burgers" (2.371 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), "Family Guy" (2.809 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) and another "Family Guy" (2.927 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4).

And finally, ABC (3.917 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) was out of the hunt with its combination of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.995 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), "Family Dance Off" (3.488 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15), "Secret Millionaire" (4.004 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Castle" (3.184 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.00% - Big Brother 15
+9.09% - Unforgettable
-25.00% - Secret Millionaire

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife (Repeat))
+12.50% - Secret Millionaire (vs. Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (Repeat))
-7.14% - Madden NFL 14 Pigskin Pro-Am
-8.00% - Big Brother 15
-12.50% - Family Dance Off (vs. Once Upon a Time (Repeat))
-27.59% - NFL Preseason: Vikings at 49ers

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/26/12):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for FOX (from 7-7:30p) and NBC (for the night) are approximate.]

NBC (7.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) took home top honors on Sunday with its coverage of the "Madden NFL 13 Pigskin Pro-Am" (4.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) and "NFL Preseason: Carolina at N.Y. Jets" (8.82 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1).

The silver then went to FOX (4.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (5.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T3) "The Cleveland Show" (2.87 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "The Simpsons" (3.80 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7), another "The Simpsons" (3.94 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6), "Family Guy" (4.17 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T3) and another "Family Guy" (4.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5).

Next up was CBS (6.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) and its combination of "60 Minutes" (8.43 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Big Brother 14" (7.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2), "The Good Wife" (4.34 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) and "The Mentalist" (5.51 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.34 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Once Upon a Time" (3.23 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) and "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" (2.48 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) on ABC (3.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - 60 Minutes
+8.70% - Big Brother 14

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - 60 Minutes (vs. 60 Minutes (Repeat))
-13.79% - Big Brother 14

Source: Nielsen Media Research