select cable nielsen ratings
(national numbers for thursday, december 16, 2010)

Here are the highlights of 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the cable networks last night, courtesy of TravisYanan:

Burn Notice (10:00) (5.111 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2)

NFL Thursday Night Football (4.890 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1)

Burn Notice (9:00) (4.774 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3)

Funniest Commercials of 2010 (2.184 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T5)

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (2.174 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4)

The First 48 (2.143 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T5)

Brad Meltzer's Decoded (2.049 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7)

Ancient Aliens (2.034 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10)

TNT NBA Game #1 (2.031 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7)

TNT NBA Game #2 (1.741 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7)

Police Women of Dallas (1.633 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10)

TNA: Impact! (1.560 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15)

The Peacemaker: L.A. Gang Wars (10:00) (1.395 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10)

The Peacemaker: L.A. Gang Wars (10:30) (1.340 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10)

Cellblock 6: Female Lockup (1.316 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (1.165 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14)

Bully Beatdown (0.756 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.3, #17)

Source: Nielsen Media Research