nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, january 16, 2012)

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

CBS (11.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) lead the ratings charge on Monday with new episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.12 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.4, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (11.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (12.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Mike & Molly" (11.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7).

A silver medal then went to FOX (9.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) with the debut of "Alcatraz" (10.05 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) followed by a second "Alcatraz" (9.88 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.3, #6). Collectively, said demo numbers marked FOX's highest-rated drama debut in three years (since "Lie to Me" on 1/21/09).

Next up was ABC (8.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "The Bachelor" (7.36 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10) and "Castle" (9.40 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (10.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) offered up its "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl" (13.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8) special, a preview of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (12.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (5.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12).

And finally, the return of "Gossip Girl" (1.30 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) led into a repeat of "Hart of Dixie" (0.79 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+62.50% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+12.82% - How I Met Your Mother (vs. 1/2/11)
+9.09% - The Bachelor
+4.65% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. 1/2/11)
+4.55% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 1/2/11)
0.00% - Mike & Molly (vs. 1/2/11)
0.00% - Castle
0.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 12/5/12)
-3.45% - Hawaii Five-0 (vs. 1/2/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+83.33% - Alcatraz - 9:00 (vs. Lie to Me)
+64.29% - Castle (vs. Castle (Repeat))
+50.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210 (Repeat))
+44.44% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. The Cape)
+40.63% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+39.90% - Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl (vs. Chuck/The Cape)
+12.82% - How I Met Your Mother
0.00% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - Mike & Molly
-3.45% - Hawaii Five-0
-8.33% - Alcatraz - 8:00 (vs. House)
-11.11% - The Bachelor
-38.10% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Harry's Law)

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," 2.5/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/17/11):

CBS (11.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) held off the competition on Monday thanks to new episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (9.85 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (15.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Mike & Molly" (13.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6).

FOX (8.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed the silver with the return of "House" (10.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) followed by a new "Lie to Me" (5.94 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10).

Next up was ABC (7.72 million viewers, #T2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with week three of "The Bachelor" (8.75 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7) alongside a repeat of "Castle" (5.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.72 million viewers, #T2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up the return of "Chuck" (5.92 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) plus the time period debut of "The Cape" (6.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10) and the launch of "Harry's Law" (11.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (1.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.71 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.86 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Lie to Me (12.50%), House (5.90% vs. 11/22/10), Mike & Molly (2.70% vs. 1/3/11), Chuck (0.00% vs. 11/29/10), How I Met Your Mother (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), Two and a Half Men (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), Hawaii Five-0 (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), The Bachelor (-3.60%), Rules of Engagement (-5.90% vs. 1/3/11).

In late-night metered market ratings (adults 18-49):
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" 3.0/8 (0.9)
"Nightline" 2.9/7 (1.0)
"Late Show with David Letterman" 2.9/7 (0.9)
"Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" 1.5/4 (0.5)
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" 1.4/5 (0.5)
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" 1.2/4 (0.4)
"Last Call with Carson Daly" 0.8/3 (0.3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research