Primetime Ratings: ABC Wins Every Half-Hour

ABC won every half-hour of primetime Sunday with a new Desperate Housewives and more big giving from Oprah.

ABC averaged a 3.6 rating/10 share in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research overnight numbers. In fact, the network won every half-hour of primetime starting with America's Funniest Home Videos, with a 1.9/7 from 7 p.m.-7:30 p.m. that was good enough for first place in a lightly viewed half-hour with no sports overruns to boost the numbers. ABC finished off with Brothers & Sisters, which averaged a solid 3.5/10 from 10 p.m.-11 p.m.

Fox was second with a 2/6 on the strength of an all-repeat animated lineup topped by Family Guy with a 2.7/7.

CBS could only muster a 1.7/5. Its best showing came from Big Brother from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. (2.3/6), which tied for second in the time period with Fox. Hallmark Hall of Fame original Sweet Nothings averaged a 1.5/4 from 9 p.m.-11 p.m.

NBC averaged a 1.3, continuing to get little pop from its USA on NBC lineup of Monk (1.31/4) and Psych (1.0/2).

The CW averaged a 0.5/1.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.