nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 18, 2011)

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

FOX (23.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #1) dominated Wednesday night thanks to a two-hour "American Idol" (23.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #1).

CBS (9.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) then snagged a distant silver with a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (6.32 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10) followed by the season finale of "Criminal Minds" (12.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and the penultimate week of "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (8.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6), which hit a series low.

Next up was ABC (5.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) with a new "The Middle" (7.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) followed by a repeat of "The Middle" (5.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and new episodes of "Modern Family" (10.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), "Cougar Town" (5.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6), "Happy Endings" (3.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) and another "Happy Endings" (3.10 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), the latter of which hit a series low.

Next up was NBC (5.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) with its mix of "Minute to Win It" (3.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12), another "Minute to Win It" (2.90 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.21 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) led into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (1.83 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (16.70%), The Middle (14.30%), Minute to Win It (11.10%), American Idol (4.30%), Criminal Minds (0.00%), Modern Family (-4.80%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-4.80%), Happy Endings #1 (-5.90%), Happy Endings #2 (-7.10%), Cougar Town (-16.70%), America's Next Top Model (-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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "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) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/19/10):

FOX (11.72 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with a new "American Idol" (18.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.9, #1). Leading off the night was a special preview of "The Good Guys" (4.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10).

The silver then went to CBS (10.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with the return of "I Get That a Lot" (7.18 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8) followed by new episodes of "Criminal Minds" (13.06 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and "CSI: NY" (11.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6).

Next up was ABC (6.59 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with its mix of a repeat "The Middle" (5.33 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) and the season finales of "The Middle" (7.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6), "Modern Family" (10.01 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2) and "Cougar Town" (6.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4). A special "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.25 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8) rounded out the evening.

Meanwhile, NBC (6.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up repeats of "Minute to Win It" (5.48 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.22 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13) and the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.61 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5).

And finally, an "America's Next Top Model" (2.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14) special lead into an encore of "One Tree Hill" (0.68 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (1.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research