nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, january 5, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (9.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T1) and ABC (7.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T1) shared top demo honors on Wednesday as the former served up new episodes of "Minute to Win It" (6.77 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T3) and another "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10.89 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2).

The Alphabet then offered up fresh installments of "The Middle" (9.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5), "Better With You" (7.43 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7), "Modern Family" (11.76 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1), "Cougar Town" (6.75 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T3) and the special "Primetime: Celebrity Weight Loss - What Really Happens" (4.45 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12).

Next up was CBS (8.91 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with night two of "Live to Dance" (7.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9) followed by "The 37th Annual People's Choice Awards" (9.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (6.31 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) went with new episodes of "Human Target" (6.16 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10) and a second "Human Target" (6.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10).

And finally, repeats of "Hellcats" (1.07 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and another "Hellcats" (0.81 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Human Target (21.40% vs. 12/22/10), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (20.00% vs. 12/1/10), Modern Family (17.10% vs. 12/8/10), Better With You (13.60% vs. 12/8/10), The Middle (12.00% vs. 12/8/10), Cougar Town (11.50% vs. 12/8/10).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.1/7) took top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (2.7/7) and NBC's "Leno" (3.0/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.5/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/6/10):

CBS (9.99 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) snagged the top spot on Wednesday thanks to its specials "I Get That a Lot" (8.51 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5) and "The 36th Annual People's Choice Awards" (10.74 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2).

ABC (7.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "The Middle" (7.55 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7), another "The Middle" (8.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6), "Modern Family" (10.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1), "Cougar Town" (7.92 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and the night's new addition, "Ugly Betty" (5.08 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

Next up was NBC (7.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "Mercy" (7.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10.83 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "The Jay Leno Show" (5.20 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a full night of "Glee" (3.37 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) repeats.

And finally, second runs of "One Tree Hill" (0.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and "Gossip Girl" (0.49 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.69 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research