nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, october 25, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (11.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with a special "The X Factor" (10.99 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.9, #4), a second hour of "The X Factor" (11.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.4, #2) and the concluding half-hour of "The X Factor" (13.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1).

CBS (15.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "NCIS" (19.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #3), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #5) and "Unforgettable" (11.29 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T7).

Next up was ABC (10.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with fresh installments of "Last Man Standing" (9.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "Man Up!" (6.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9), "Dancing With the Stars" (13.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T7) and "Body of Proof" (9.64 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) served up a new "The Biggest Loser 12" (5.45 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9) and repeat of "Prime Suspect" (2.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, repeats of "Ringer" (1.03 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Ringer" (0.82 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the 8:00 episode delivered a 0.4 rating while 9:00 installment posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+12.12% - NCIS: Los Angeles
+5.26% - NCIS
0.00% - Unforgettable
0.00% - Body of Proof
0.00% - The Biggest Loser 12
-3.85% - Dancing With the Stars
-6.67% - Last Man Standing
-20.83% - Man Up!

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+79.59% - The X Factor - 9:00
+40.00% - Last Man Standing
+8.82% - NCIS: Los Angeles
+4.17% - Unforgettable
-2.44% - NCIS
-5.00% - Body of Proof
-5.00% - Man Up!
-16.67% - Dancing With the Stars
-18.75% - The X Factor - 8:00
-20.83% - The Biggest Loser 12

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," 4.1/11; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/6.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.3/6; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

Featuring a guest appearance by President Barack Obama, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" earned its highest metered-market household rating (4.1) for a Tuesday telecast since March 2, 2010 (4.6), night two of Jay Leno's first week back as host of "Tonight."

Versus its Tuesday average so far this season, "Tonight" was up 52 percent (4.1 vs. 2.7) in metered-market households.

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" with an encore (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" scored its highest metered-market household rating (1.7) for a Tuesday telecast since June 21.

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/2 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 (10/26/10):

FOX (8.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) took home the adults 18-49 crown on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "Glee" (11.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1), "Raising Hope" (6.29 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) and a second "Raising Hope" (5.50 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8).

CBS (16.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) however was the most-watched network with new episodes of "NCIS" (19.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "The Good Wife" (12.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6).

Next up was ABC (10.58 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) and its mix of "No Ordinary Family" (7.40 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9), "Dancing With the Stars" (15.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) and "Detroit 187" (8.83 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) served up fresh installments of "The Biggest Loser" (6.74 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6) and "Parenthood" (4.92 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (1.20 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and "Life Unexpected" (0.99 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) on The CW (1.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Detroit 187 (5.30%), Parenthood (5.30%), Glee (4.30% vs. 10/12/10), Raising Hope (0.00% vs. 10/12/10), NCIS (-2.40%), Dancing With the Stars (-3.20%), The Biggest Loser (-4.00%), The Good Wife (-7.70%), No Ordinary Family (-9.10%), NCIS: Los Angeles (-12.80%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.3/8) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.7/7) and CBS's "Letterman" (3.0/8). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.7/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.5/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.3/5) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research