nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 11, 2011)

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

FOX (18.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with new episodes of "American Idol" (22.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.9, #1) and the departing "Breaking In" (7.65 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T5).

CBS (10.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then claimed the distant silver with fresh installments of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4), "Criminal Minds" (13.08 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (9.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8).

Next up was ABC (6.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and its mix of "The Middle" (7.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8), the season finale of "Better With You" (5.96 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10), "Modern Family" (10.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2), "Cougar Town" (6.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T5), "Happy Endings" (4.25 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11) and another "Happy Endings" (3.47 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up a new "Minute to Win It" (3.05 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15), a repeat of "Minute to Win It" (3.54 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (7.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T5).

And finally, an encore of last week's "America's Next Top Model" (1.23 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.97 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) on The CW (1.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Better With You (18.80%), America's Next Top Model (11.10%), Modern Family (10.50%), Cougar Town (9.10%), American Idol (7.80%), The Middle (5.00%), Criminal Minds (3.10%), Survivor: Redemption Island (0.00%), Happy Endings (10:00) (0.00%), Happy Endings (10:30) (0.00%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-4.00%), Breaking In (-4.00%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-4.50%), Minute to Win It (-10.00%).

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," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/8; 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," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/12/10):

FOX (12.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) claimed top honors on Wednesday with a new "American Idol" (19.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1). Kicking off the night was a repeat of "Lie to Me" (5.14 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14).

The silver then went to CBS (10.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with the season finale of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (7.19 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10) followed by a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.65 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) and fresh installments of "Criminal Minds" (12.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "CSI: NY" (11.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5).

Next up was ABC (5.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with a repeat of "The Middle" (5.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13) and new episodes of "The Middle" (7.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7), "Modern Family" (10.10 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2), "Cougar Town" (6.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5) and "Happy Town" (3.21 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.44 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up a special "Minute to Win It" (6.72 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8), the season finale of "Mercy" (4.11 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #16) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (3.93 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11) lead into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (3.57 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12) on The CW (3.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research