nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 13, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (18.89 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) was Wednesday's top draw as usual thanks to a new "American Idol" (22.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1). Leading out of said broadcast was week two of "Breaking In" (8.40 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

CBS (11.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) - its lowest-rated regular telecast ever (excluding clipshows and Thanksgiving), "Criminal Minds" (13.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (9.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Next up was ABC (6.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (6.10 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9), "Better With You" (4.92 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11) and "Modern Family" (9.53 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) - all season lows for original, non-holiday episodes - followed by the launch of "Happy Endings" (7.27 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6), a second episode of "Happy Endings" (5.72 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8) and a repeat of "Modern Family" (4.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "Minute to Win It" (3.68 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) alongside repeats of "Minute to Win It" (3.48 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (2.25 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) led into the season finale of "Shedding for the Wedding" (1.39 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (1.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Shedding for the Wedding (50.00%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (19.00%), America's Next Top Model (11.10%), American Idol (0.00%), Minute to Win It (0.00%), Criminal Minds (-5.60%), Survivor: Redemption Island (-6.50%), The Middle (-10.00% vs. 3/23/11), Modern Family (-11.60% vs. 3/23/11), Better With You (-16.70% vs. 3/2/11), Breaking In (-20.00%).

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 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" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 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 (4/14/10):

FOX (13.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday thanks to the season finale of "Human Target" (7.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7) and a new "American Idol" (20.59 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1).

The silver then went to CBS (9.75 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) with its mix of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (6.29 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12), "Accidentally on Purpose" (6.05 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), "Criminal Minds" (12.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and "CSI: NY" (10.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4).

Next up was ABC (6.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with a repeat of "Modern Family" (5.23 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13) followed by new episodes of "The Middle" (6.71 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6), "Modern Family" (8.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2), "Cougar Town" (5.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and the series finale of "Ugly Betty" (5.43 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "Minute to Win It" (5.87 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.32 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #14) and another "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.60 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (2.84 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15), "Fly Girls" (0.94 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T16) and "High Society" (0.86 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T16) on The CW (1.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research