nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, october 13, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (11.96 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with new episodes of "Survivor: Nicaragua" (12.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2), "Criminal Minds" (13.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "The Defenders" (9.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

A silver medal then went to FOX (6.79 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) with fresh installments of "Hell's Kitchen" (6.26 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6) and a second hour of "Hell's Kitchen" (7.33 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4).

Next up was ABC (7.57 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with its mix of "The Middle" (7.94 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), "Better With You" (6.50 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10),

"Modern Family" (11.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1), "Cougar Town" (7.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5) and its last-minute special "20/20: Miracle at the Mine" (6.16 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) offered up new episodes of "Undercovers" (5.98 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9) and "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (7.20 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (3.02 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #14) and "Hellcats" (2.03 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15) on The CW (2.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Defenders (19.00%), America's Next Top Model (7.70%), Modern Family (4.40%), Cougar Town (3.20%), Survivor: Nicaragua (2.80%), Criminal Minds (0.00%), The Middle (0.00%), Undercovers (0.00%), Hellcats (0.00%), Hell's Kitchen (0.00%), Better With You (-8.70%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-12.00%), Law & Order: Los Angeles (-20.80%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.4/8) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (3.0/8) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.6/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.4/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.6/6) and "Daly" (1.0/4) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/14/09):

FOX (7.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) was tops among adults 18-49 on Wednesday thanks to new episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" (7.07 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6) and "Glee" (7.54 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3).

CBS (11.26 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (7.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9), "Gary Unmarried" (7.38 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), "Criminal Minds" (13.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) and "CSI: NY" (12.94 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T4).

Next up was ABC (6.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with its combination of "Hank" (6.24 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #14), "The Middle" (6.74 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T10), "Modern Family" (9.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2), "Cougar Town" (7.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T4) and "Eastwick" (5.09 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T12).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.42 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) offered up new episodes of "Mercy" (7.32 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7) and "The Jay Leno Show" (6.16 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T12).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (3.09 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.4, #15) lead into a repeat of "Melrose Place" (0.88 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) on The CW (1.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research