nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 6, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

A 90-minute edition of "American Idol" (22.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1) sparked FOX (19.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.2, #1) to victory on Wednesday. Leading out of the broadcast was the premiere of "Breaking In" (9.88 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3), which posted the highest "Idol" retention of any sitcom in over four years in both categories (since "'Til Death" on 4/04/07).

CBS (11.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then snagged a distant second place with fresh installments of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #4), "Criminal Minds" (13.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (8.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6).

Next up was NBC (5.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) with a new "Minute to Win It" (3.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) followed by a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (4.77 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9), another "The Middle" (4.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and "Modern Family" (5.33 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7) alongside the departing "Mr. Sunshine" (4.63 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8) and the season finale of "Off the Map" (3.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.89 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (0.88 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Mr. Sunshine (14.30%), Survivor: Redemption Island (6.90%), Criminal Minds (5.90%), Off the Map (0.00%), America's Next Top Model (0.00%), Shedding for the Wedding (0.00%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-4.20%), American Idol (-5.30%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-8.70%), Minute to Win It (-9.10%).

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/7/10):

FOX (13.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) claimed the top spot on Wednesday thanks to the penultimate week of "Human Target" (7.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) and a new "American Idol" (19.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.5, #1).

Second place went to CBS (9.75 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with its new lineup of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (6.07 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9), "Accidentally on Purpose" (6.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6), "Criminal Minds" (12.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and "CSI: NY" (10.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3).

Next up was NBC (6.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with a Wednesday edition of "Minute to Win It" (5.88 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) followed by a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.50 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up repeats of "Modern Family" (5.13 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9), "The Middle" (5.12 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9), another "Modern Family" (5.02 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6), "Cougar Town" (3.68 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12) and a new "Ugly Betty" (4.03 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (3.35 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12), "Fly Girls" (1.37 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) and "High Society" (1.03 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.5, #17) on The CW (2.27 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research