TV Ratings: CBS weathers 'The Storm' on Sunday

'Big Brother' and '60 Minutes' help CBS win overall and split the 18-49 demo

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Jul 27, 2009 12:44 PM

James Van Der Beek and Luke Perry of 'The Storm'

Credit: Peter Hopper Stone/NBC

Fast National ratings for Sunday, July 26, 2009.

"The Storm," NBC's latest summer disaster miniseries, was unable to unseat CBS from its position atop the Sunday night ratings.

CBS and ABC both averaged a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49, splitting the key demographic. NBC was a close third with a 1.1 rating, nipping the 0.9 rating for FOX. The CW's 0.2 rating was well back.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 6.17 million viewers to go with a 4.0 rating/7 share. NBC was second with a 3.1/6, just in front of the 2.8/5 for ABC. FOX was a distant fourth with a 1.4/3. The CW's 0.5/1 was last.

CBS began the night in first with a 4.7/9 for "60 Minutes." "Dateline NBC" was second, beating the 3.0/6 for ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos," though "AFHV" actually won the hour in the 18-49 demo. FOX's "'Til Death" and "American Dad" finished fourth, while The CW's new episode of "Easy Money" was fifth with a 0.3/1.

"Big Brother 11" kept CBS in first at 8 p.m. with a 3.8/7 and also won the hour in the key demo. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" took second, edging the 2.7/5 for NBC's new "Merlin." FOX's broadcast of the movie "Zoom" had a 1.5/3, beating the first hour of "The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream" on The CW.

ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and CBS' "Cold Case" split the 9 p.m. hour with a 3.5/6 (though ABC won the hour 18-49). NBC's "The Storm" had a 3.1/5 in its first hour. FOX's movie improved slightly, as did The CW's film, which had a 0.7/1 in its second hour.

CBS moved back into first at 10 p.m. with a 3.8/7 for "Without a Trace." NBC's "The Storm" was steady with a 3.1/6. That left ABC's "Desperate Housewives" in third.

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

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.