Demo goes to Alphabet as CBS takes viewer crown

Fast National ratings for Sunday, May 6, 2007

A strong start and finish to the night gave CBS an overall ratings win Sunday, but ABC held sway among younger viewers.

CBS delivered an 8.0 rating/14 share in primetime, beating ABC's 7.5/13 for the top spot. NBC finished third at 4.9/8. FOX, 3.7/6, was fourth, followed by The CW, 1.4/2.

ABC snagged the lead among adults 18-49 with a 4.4 rating. CBS, 3.0, led a tight race for second in the demographic, with FOX, 2.9, and NBC, 2.8, not far behind. The CW drew a 0.7.

CBS began the night with "60 Minutes" scoring a 7.7/14 at 7 p.m. NBC's "Dateline" was second in households at 4.7/9, but "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.4/8) brought more viewers to ABC. A pair of "King of the Hill" episodes averaged 2.2/4 for FOX, good enough to beat a "7th Heaven" rerun on The CW.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," 7.0/12, moved ABC into the lead at 8 p.m. The finale of "The Amazing Race: All-Stars" scored a 6.2/10 for CBS. "Dateline" took third for NBC. An hour of "The Simpsons" drew a 4.5/8 for FOX, while a new "7th Heaven" on The CW earned a 1.9/3.

At 9 p.m., "Desperate Housewives," 11.0/17, gave ABC the night's biggest audience. CBS held onto second with "Cold Case," 8.7/13. The special "Saturday Night Live" in the '90s" scored a 4.7/7 for NBC, topping "Family Guy," 4.8/8, and "American Dad," 3.9/6, on FOX. The CW went with an "America's Next Top Model" rerun.

"Without a Trace," 9.6/16, put CBS back on top at 10 p.m. ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" posted a 7.8/13, and "SNL in the '90s" held steady at 4.7/8 for NBC.

On Saturday, CBS' drama repeats and "48 Hours" combined for a 4.7/9. ABC took second for the night at 3.8/7, followed by NBC, 3.4/7, and FOX, 2.6/5.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.