TV Ratings: NFL overrun, 'Survivor' finale boost CBS past Chargers-Ravens on Sunday

NBC falls from its Sunday perch, but numbers are very preliminary

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Dec 19, 2011 12:39 PM

Matt Tolbert of the San Diego Chargers

Credit: AP

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Fast National ratings for Sunday, December 18, 2011.

Over 30 minutes of overrun from the Patriots and Broncos ran into CBS' Sunday primetime and gave the network's entire lineup a big boost, while the "Survivor: South Pacific" finale held on to carry CBS to Sunday ratings wins. Of course, when final figures come out, NBC's Sunday Night Football coverage of the game between the Chargers and Ravens could end up winning out, at least among young viewers.

This was CBS' first win of the season on a Sunday night, though even the network took great pains to emphasis how tentative and subject to change these ratings are.

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 4.5 rating, edging out the 4.3 rating for NBC in the key demographic. FOX's 1.8 rating and the 1.3 rating for ABC trailed in the key demo.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 15.865 million viewers and a 9.2 rating/15 share, comfortably ahead of the 7.3/12 and 11.77 million viewers for NBC. Again, ABC's 2.8/4 and 4.78 million viewers and FOX's 2.4/4 and 4.205 million viewers were far back.

7 p.m. - NFL overrun and the first half of "60 Minutes" gave CBS a commanding win for the 7 p.m. hour with 22.815 million viewers and a 6.2 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's "Football Night in America" was a distant second with 7.42 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo rating. ABC's repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" averaged 6.515 million viewers and a 1.5 key demo rating, compared to the 3.96 million viewers and 1.5 key demo rating for FOX's repeats of "American Dad" and "The Cleveland Show."

8 p.m. - CBS stayed in first overall for the 8 p.m. hour with 16.43 million viewers for "60 Minutes" and the start of the "Survivor" finale, but slipped to second with a 4.2 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's Sunday Night Football showdown between the Ravens and Chargers averaged 12.51 million viewers for second and a 4.5 key demo rating to win the hour. ABC's "Once Upon a Time" repeat was third with 4.42 million viewers and fourth with a 1.2 key demo. FOX's repeat of "The Simpsons" (5.005 million viewers and a 2.2 key demo rating) and a new "Allen Gregory" (3.315 million viewers and a 1.5 key demo rating) finished fourth overall and third in the demo.

9 p.m. - NBC's Baltimore-San Diego game moved into first for the 9 p.m. hour overall with 14.61 million viewers and among adults 18-49 with a 5.4 rating. CBS' "Survivor" finale was second with 13.13 million viewers and a 4.1 key demo rating. FOX's repeats of "Family Guy" averaged nearly 4.5 million viewers and a 2.1 key demo rating in third, beating the 3.8 million viewers and 1.1 million viewers for ABC's airing of "The Santa Clause 3."

10 p.m. - Sunday Night Football kept NBC in first for the 10 p.m. hour with 12.56 million viewers and a 5.0 rating among adults 18-49. CBS was second with 11.09 million viewers and a 3.4 key demo rating for "Survivor" and the live "Survivor" reunion. ABC's movie averaged 4.39 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating 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, particularly in the case of live events.

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.