nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, june 21, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (11.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) towered over the competition on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "America's Got Talent" (11.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "The Voice" (11.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1).

ABC (5.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) then took home the silver with its "Wipeout: Summer Sneak Peek" (5.33 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5) special followed by the premieres of "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" (5.55 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) and "Combat Hospital" (5.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was FOX (3.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with a new "Masterchef" (4.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) alongside repeats of "Raising Hope" (2.60 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and another "Raising Hope" (2.34 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.56 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (9.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (8.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "The Good Wife" (4.78 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11).

And finally, The CW (0.89 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) did the same with "One Tree Hill" (0.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and "Hellcats" (0.79 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Got Talent (-3.00%), The Voice (-4.40%), Masterchef (-5.30%).

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," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 1.2/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/22/10):

NBC (8.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the big winner on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "Losing It With Jillian" (3.75 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10), "America's Got Talent" (10.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3) and a second edition of "America's Got Talent" (12.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1).

FOX (6.09 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.84 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5) and a second "Hell's Kitchen" (6.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3).

Next up was ABC (6.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with the official return of "Wipeout" (9.50 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) followed by the premieres of "Downfall" (5.86 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6) and "Primetime: Mind Games" (3.88 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up repeats of "NCIS" (9.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (8.09 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and "The Good Wife" (5.70 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.80 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Life Unexpected" (0.73 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) on The CW (0.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research