nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, december 6, 2011)

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

FOX (6.40 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) slipped into the top spot on Tuesday with new episodes of "Glee" (7.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2), "New Girl" (6.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) and "Raising Hope" (4.63 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4).

CBS (10.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2) then split the silver with its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (12.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Unforgettable" (7.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8).

NBC (6.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2) offered up its "A Michael Buble Christmas" (7.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10) followed by the relocated "The Biggest Loser 12" (6.71 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4).

Next up was ABC (5.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and its combination of "Last Man Standing" (8.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3), "Man Up!" (4.77 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8), "The Middle" (3.78 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13), "Suburgatory" (4.01 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) and "Body of Proof" (7.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10).

And finally, the fall finale of "90210" (1.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) led into a repeat of "Ringer" (0.84 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.4 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.5 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - Last Man Standing
0.00% - 90210
-5.56% - New Girl
-5.88% - Man Up!
-8.33% - The Biggest Loser 12
-8.33% - Raising Hope
-9.38% - Glee
-16.67% - Body of Proof

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+29.41% - Raising Hope (vs. Running Wilde)
+17.24% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
+7.14% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
0.00% - Last Man Standing (vs. A Charlie Brown Christmas)
-20.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-29.03% - The Biggest Loser 12
-34.09% - Glee
-38.46% - Man Up! (vs. A Charlie Brown Christmas)

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

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" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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 (12/7/10):

With CBS (9.68 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) in repeats, FOX (8.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday thanks to winter finales of "Glee" (11.04 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1) and "Raising Hope" (7.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) followed by a new "Running Wilde" (4.06 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) served up the return of "Minute to Win It" (6.95 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6) alongside a new "The Biggest Loser" (8.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2), which hit season highs in the key demographic.

Next up was ABC (7.05 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with an encore of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (8.03 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) followed by new episodes of "No Ordinary Family" (6.31 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6) and "Detroit 187" (6.81 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10).

The Eye then offered up the aforementioned repeats of "NCIS" (11.82 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (10.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6) and "The Good Wife" (6.87 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (2.20 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) and "Life Unexpected" (1.77 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) on The CW (1.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Running Wilde (21.40%), Life Unexpected (12.50%), One Tree Hill (11.10%), Raising Hope (7.40%), The Biggest Loser (6.90%), No Ordinary Family (0.00%), Glee (-2.20%), Detroit 187 (-12.50%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.2/8) and CBS's "Letterman" (3.2/6) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.9/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.5/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.3/5) and "Daly" (0.8/4) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research