TV Ratings: CBS controls Sunday

Julie Chen of 'Big Brother'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009

A strong new "60 Minutes" helped CBS control Sunday night in all key measures.

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 2.0 rating, nipping FOX's 1.9 rating in the all-important demographic. ABC's 1.4 rating was good for third, topping the 0.9 rating for NBC and the 0.3 rating for The CW.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 7.8 million viewers to go with a 4.9 rating/9 share. ABC's 3.3/6 was second, ahead of the 2.4/4 for FOX and NBC's 2.1/4. The CW trailed with a 0.6/1.

CBS dominated the 8 p.m. hour with a 7.7/15 for "60 Minutes" (presumably sports-aided on the East Coast). ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was second with a 3.6/7. NBC's "Merlin" had a 1.9/3 to beat a pair of animation repeats on FOX. The CW's new "Easy Money" had a 0.4/1 for fifth.

Aided by "60 Minutes" running long and a solid "Big Brother," CBS won the 8 p.m. hour with a 5.5/10. ABC's "Who Want To Be a Millionaire" was second with a 4.4/8, topping the 2.7/5 for FOX's "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." NBC's "Merlin" was fourth, topping the 0.7/1 for The CW's Random Sunday Movie, "Disturbing Behavior."

Things got slow in the 9 p.m. hour as ABC's "Shark Tank" won with a 3.5/6. CBS' "There Goes the Neighborhood" was second with a 3.2/5, which nipped FOX's pair "Family Guy" episodes, though FOX actually won the hour in the 18-49 demo. NBC's "Saturday Night Live" special was fourth with a 2.0/3, which The CW's movie stayed steady.

CBS moved back into first in the 10 p.m. hour with a 3.4/6 for "Cold Case." NBC's "SNL" thing was second, better than the 1.7/3 for ABC's new "Defying Gravity."

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.