nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, january 26, 2011)

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

FOX (25.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1) took the top spot on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (25.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1).

CBS (9.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) then claimed a distant second with its mix of "Live to Dance" (4.75 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Criminal Minds" (12.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6).

Sharing the silver was ABC (6.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) with repeats of "The Middle" (7.01 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6), another "The Middle" (6.59 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4) and "Modern Family" (7.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) followed by new episodes of "Cougar Town" (5.08 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4) and "Off the Map" (5.09 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8).

Next up was NBC (4.88 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) with fresh installments of "Minute to Win It" (5.02 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10), "Chase" (4.14 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.47 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.53 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and "The Vampire Diaries" (0.94 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Chase (20.00%), Criminal Minds (14.30%), Live to Dance (10.00%), Blue Bloods (0.00%), American Idol (-5.20%), Minute to Win It (-12.50%), Off the Map (-14.30%), Cougar Town (-16.00%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.8/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/27/10):

FOX (17.24 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with a new "American Idol" (24.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1) and its "FOX News Special" (9.74 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2).

ABC (6.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) then offered up its mix of "Modern Family" (5.72 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5), "The Middle" (5.32 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6), "ABC News Special" (7.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) and "Cougar Town" (4.09 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11).

Next up was NBC (5.71 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with its combination of "Mercy" (4.15 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11), "NBC News Special" (7.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) and "The Office" (4.41 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.43 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up its lineup of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (5.14 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8), "Gary Unmarried" (4.81 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8), "CBS News Special" (6.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and "Two and a Half Men" (4.23 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13).

And finally, repeats of "Gossip Girl" (0.80 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Life Unexpected" (1.43 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) on The CW (1.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research