nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, november 10, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (16.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1) overshadowed the competition on Wednesday thanks to its broadcast of "The 44th Annual CMA Awards" (16.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1).

The silver then went to CBS (10.68 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T2) with new episodes of "Survivor: Nicaragua" (11.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2), "Criminal Minds" (12.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "The Defenders" (8.33 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

Next up was FOX (5.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T2) with the return of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.51 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #5) followed by a second "Hell's Kitchen" (5.91 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) was out of the hunt with its mix of "Undercovers" (5.13 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (7.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6) and "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (6.77 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (2.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and "Hellcats" (1.94 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) on The CW (2.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Hellcats (0.00%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-4.80%), America's Next Top Model (-7.70%), Undercovers (-7.70%), Law & Order: Los Angeles (-10.50%), Hell's Kitchen (-12.90% vs. 10/13/10), Survivor: Nicaragua (-13.50%), Criminal Minds (-21.10%), The Defenders (-21.70%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.7/9) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (3.0/8) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.6/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.8/6) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.4/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/11/09):

ABC (16.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) towered over the competition with its coverage of "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" (16.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1).

A distant second place then went to CBS (11.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) with its mix of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (7.57 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7), "Gary Unmarried" (7.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6), "Criminal Minds" (12.26 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T3) and "CSI: NY" (13.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2).

Next up was FOX (6.45 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.55 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8) and the return of "Glee" (7.35 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T3).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "Mercy" (6.78 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5) and "The Jay Leno Show" (4.59 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (3.19 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10) lead into a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.22 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (2.20 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research