nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, march 8, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (8.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) won the demo race on Tuesday with new episodes of "Glee" (11.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Raising Hope" (6.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and "Traffic Light" (3.83 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

CBS (11.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) however was the most-watched network despite its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (13.43 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (13.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) and "The Good Wife" (8.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

Next up was NBC (6.46 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) with a new "The Biggest Loser" (8.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) followed by a repeat of "Parenthood" (3.17 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.70 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a repeat of "No Ordinary Family" (4.04 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11) plus new episodes of "V" (4.95 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6) and "Detroit 187" (5.10 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.98 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Hellcats" (1.18 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (1.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Biggest Loser (20.80%), Glee (7.00% vs. 2/22/11), V (-5.60%), Detroit 187 (-8.30% vs. 2/15/11), Traffic Light (-11.80% vs. 2/22/11), Raising Hope (-17.60%).

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," 2.4/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/9/10):

FOX (15.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with a new "American Idol" (22.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.2, #1) and a rebroadcast of "Glee" (7.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T5).

The silver then went to CBS (16.78 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) with new episodes of "NCIS" (19.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.93 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4) and "The Good Wife" (13.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7).

Next up was NBC (7.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) with original installments of "The Biggest Loser" (7.90 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T5) and "Parenthood" (6.07 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #8).

Meanwhile, ABC (6.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) fell to fourth with a repeat of "Lost" (4.16 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9), a new "Lost" (9.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2) and the de facto season finale of "The Forgotten" (4.89 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

And finally, the return of "90210" (1.68 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and "Melrose Place" (1.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (1.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night.

Source: Nielsen Media Research