nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 20, 2011)

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

FOX (18.23 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) took last night by wide margins thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (21.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.8, #1) and "Breaking In" (7.55 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4).

ABC (6.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) and CBS (8.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) then split the silver as the latter offered up a new "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) - its lowest-rated regular telecast ever - followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (8.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (7.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

The Alphabet then served up its mix of "The Middle" (6.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7) - tied as its season low, "Better With You" (5.25 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10), "Modern Family" (9.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) - season low for a regular telecast, "Cougar Town" (6.27 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5), "Happy Endings" (4.65 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7) and another "Happy Endings" (3.84 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10).

Next up was NBC (3.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) with a new "Minute to Win It" (3.14 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) - its series low - and repeats of "Minute to Win It" (3.00 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.83 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12).

And finally, repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.19 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) led into a relocated "America's Next Top Model" (1.58 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (1.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Better With You (6.70%), Cougar Town (4.30% vs. 4/18/11), Survivor: Redemption Island (3.40%), The Middle (0.00%), Modern Family (-2.60%), American Idol (-4.20%), Breaking In (-10.70%), Minute to Win It (-20.00%), America's Next Top Model (-30.00%), Happy Endings #2 (-30.40%), Happy Endings #1 (-33.30%).

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," 2.6/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

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

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). 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 with an encore 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 (4/21/10):

FOX (18.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) overshadowed the competition on Wednesday thanks to a special two-hour edition of "American Idol" (18.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1).

A distant silver then went to NBC (6.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with the return of "Mercy" (5.01 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T14) followed by a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.26 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.74 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2).

Next up was CBS (6.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) with a new "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (5.29 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #8), the season finale of "Accidentally on Purpose" (5.33 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and repeats of "Criminal Minds" (8.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5) and "CSI: NY" (6.89 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.33 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (4.44 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9), another "The Middle" (4.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6), "Modern Family" (5.49 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), another "Modern Family" (4.95 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4), "Cougar Town" (3.17 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) and another "Cougar Town" (3.09 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T14).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (2.96 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9), "Fly Girls" (0.97 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T16) and "High Society" (0.89 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T16) on The CW (1.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research