nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, january 10, 2012)

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

CBS (16.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with fresh installments of "NCIS" (20.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) and "Unforgettable" (11.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4).

Claiming the silver is NBC (6.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) with its mix of "The Biggest Loser 13" (6.64 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) and "Parenthood" (4.84 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

Next up was ABC (6.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with originals of "Last Man Standing" (7.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4), "Work It" (5.10 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8), "Celebrity Wife Swap" (5.24 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6) and "Body of Proof" (6.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up an all-repeat lineup of "Glee" (3.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), "New Girl" (3.33 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10) and "Raising Hope" (2.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, the feature "Table for Three" (0.67 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) on The CW (0.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+6.67% - Body of Proof
+5.88% - Parenthood
+4.35% - The Biggest Loser 13
-2.38% - NCIS
-2.86% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-4.55% - Celebrity Wife Swap
-8.33% - Last Man Standing
-12.00% - Unforgettable
-20.00% - Work It

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+46.67% - Last Man Standing (vs. No Ordinary Family)
+45.45% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
+10.53% - Celebrity Wife Swap (vs. V)
+6.67% - Work It (vs. No Ordinary Family)
-4.35% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife)
-8.11% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-8.89% - NCIS
-18.18% - Parenthood
-25.00% - The Biggest Loser 13

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," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/6; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 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" (0.5/3 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 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/11/11):

CBS (17.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) posted a big win on Tuesday with the return of "NCIS" (21.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (18.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) and "The Good Wife" (12.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4).

NBC (7.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then snagged second place with new episodes of "The Biggest Loser" (8.69 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) and "Parenthood" (5.63 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5).

Next up was FOX (4.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with a repeat of "Glee" (4.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8) followed by a new "Million Dollar Money Drop" (5.13 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

Next up was ABC (5.49 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) with fresh installments of "No Ordinary Family" (5.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9), "V" (5.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) and "Detroit 187" (5.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10). All were series lows in the key demographic.

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (1.07 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) and "Life Unexpected" (0.80 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) on The CW (0.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Million Dollar Money Drop (38.50%), NCIS: Los Angeles (15.60% vs. 12/14/10), NCIS (12.50% vs. 12/14/10), The Good Wife (9.50% vs. 12/14/10), The Biggest Loser (-3.00%), Parenthood (-4.30%), V (-9.50%), Detroit 187 (-15.40%), No Ordinary Family (-21.10%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.5/8) took top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (3.2/8) and NBC's "Leno" (3.0/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.6/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.6/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.5/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research