CBS wins overall, but 'Dateline NBC' carries NBC to a demo win

Fast National ratings for Sunday, July 6, 2008.

While "Million Dollar Password" carried CBS to an overall win on Sunday night, NBC still grabbed a victory in the key young adult demos.

Overall, CBS averaged a 4.7 rating/8 share, nipping the 4.2/8 for NBC and ABC's 3.4/6. FOX was well back in fourth with a 3.4/6, leaving The CW to trail with a 0.8/1.

Among adults 18-49, though, NBC had a 2.0 rating for first. CBS' 1.3 rating pushed the network down to fourth, in fact, behind the 1.8 rating for ABC and FOX's 1.6 rating. No matter how you measure things, The CW was last with a 0.5 demo rating.

With a 5.4/11 for "60 Minutes," CBS started off Sunday with a substantial lead, as ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" and NBC's coverage of the Olympic Trials tied for second with a 3.3/7. FOX's repeats of "Til Death" and The CW's "One Tree Hill" barely registered.

CBS stayed on top in the 8 p.m. hour with a 5.0/9 for "Million Dollar Password." NBC's pre-Olympics coverage held second alone with a 4.0/7, better than "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on ABC. FOX's " The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill" averaged a 2.1/4 between them. The CW's "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Aliens in America" did a 1.0/2.

The 9 p.m. hour was a jumble with ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and CBS' "Cold Case" doing the same 4.5/8, just ahead of the 4.3/7 for "Dateline NBC." FOX had a 2.5/4 for episodes of "Family Guy" and "America Dad," as The CW's "The Game" and "Girlfriends" were fifth.

NBC won the 10 p.m. hour with a 5.3/10 for "Dateline." CBS' "Numb3rs" had a 4.0/7. ABC's "Desperate Housewives" was last.

In other weekend ratings news:

CBS drew the plurality of Friday night's 4th of July viewership, doing a 3.1 rating/8 share overall, beating the 2.8/7 for NBC. Both networks finished behind The CW among adults 18-49, though, as the network's "WWE Friday Night Smackdown" did a 1.1 rating.

And Saturday night went to FOX, with a 2.7 rating/6 share, as the network also won among adults 18-49 with a 1.6 rating.

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