nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, august 31, 2011)

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

CBS (6.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) took home the demo crown with a new "Big Brother 13" (8.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (5.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (5.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

NBC (6.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) however was the most-watched network with new episodes of "Minute to Win It" (5.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7), "America's Got Talent" (10.26 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.10 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7).

Next up was ABC (4.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (4.31 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), another "The Middle" (4.10 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9), "Modern Family" (4.70 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3), another "Modern Family" (4.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) and a new "Primetime Nightline" (4.33 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.24 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up week two of "Buried Treasure" (3.26 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) alongside an encore of week one of "Buried Treasure" (3.22 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.18 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) and another "America's Next Top Model" (0.91 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (1.04 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Primetime Nightline (15.4%), Big Brother 13 (14.3%), Minute to Win It (-6.7%), America's Got Talent (-10.7%).

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/1/10):

"Big Brother 12" (7.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) lead CBS (6.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T1) to victory on Wednesday alongside repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T5) and "CSI: NY" (6.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8).

Sharing the adults 18-49 crown was FOX (4.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T1) with a new "Masterchef" (4.49 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) and a second hour of "Masterchef" (4.95 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3).

Next up was NBC (7.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with new episodes of "Minute to Win It" (6.07 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T5) and "America's Got Talent" (10.34 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) followed by a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (6.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up highlights from the "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" (6.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T5).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.33 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #10) lead into the season finale of "Plain Jane" (1.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) on The CW (1.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.0/8) and ABC's "Nightline" (3.0/7) took top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (2.5/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.4/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.2/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.3/5) and "Daly" (0.8/4) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research