Preliminary Ratings: Sunday 12/14/14

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL posted a great preliminary rating, on Sunday night, commanding 21.8 million viewers and a 7.7 rating in Adults 18-49. That is already above about half the games this season, and final ratings should boost it up a few more million. It has a very good chance of besting the late afternoon overrun game, on FOX, for the first time this season.

Barbara Walters had her annual 10 MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE of the year program and the ratings were just so-so. The 7.7 million viewers and 1.4 demo rating is better than the regular programs, and still beat CBS, but viewers are caring less about this type of program, as the years progress. Compared to last year's show, the ratings are down 1.2 million viewers and lost 36% in the demo ratings. Hopefully, Barbara will stay in retirement, in 2015.

CBS and FOX had typical nights for their programming. UNDERCOVER BOSS did perk up the 8 p.m. hour, grabbing a better demo rating than a typical episode of MADAME SECRETARY. But, THE MENTALIST and CSI came in with ratings that were expected to come in.

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

ABC - 6.0 million viewers, 1.3 rating in A18-49

CBS - 9.1 million viewers, 1.5 rating in A18-49

CW - 0.0 million viewers, 0.0 rating in A18-49

FOX - 6.8 million viewers, 2.6 rating in A18-49

NBC - 17.9 million viewers, 6.2 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
7:00	ABC	Backstage/Disney Broadway	2.90	0.5
8:00	ABC	Once Upon A Time	5.60	1.7	93%
9:00	ABC	10 Most Fascinating People	7.70	1.4	38%
7:00	CBS	60 Minutes	11.60	1.7
8:00	CBS	Undercover Boss	9.00	1.7	-22%
9:00	CBS	The Mentalist	8.40	1.3	-7%
10:00	CBS	CSI	7.40	1.2	-12%
7:00	FOX	NFL Overrun	17.10	5.8
7:30	FOX	The OT	9.50	3.5	-44%
8:00	FOX	The Simpsons [R]	5.00	2.0	-47%
8:30	FOX	Brooklyn Nine-Nine	3.50	1.5	-30%
9:00	FOX	Family Guy [R]	3.10	1.4	-11%
9:30	FOX	Bob's Burgers	2.50	1.2	-19%
7:30	NBC	FNiA	10.30	3.4
8:00	NBC	FNiA	16.90	5.6	64%
8:30	NBC	SNF (NE v SD)	21.82	7.7	29%

* - in millions