nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, january 19, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (12.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) was the demo king on Thursday thanks to night two of the "American Idol" (17.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) season premiere and a new "The Finder" (6.78 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

CBS (14.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.71 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #2), "Rob" (11.73 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3), "Person of Interest" (14.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "The Mentalist" (14.02 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6).

Next up was ABC (7.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with original installments of "Winter Wipeout" (5.87 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.32 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and "Private Practice" (6.10 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) served up its mix of "30 Rock" (4.08 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13), "Parks & Recreation" (4.31 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10), "The Office" (5.98 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6), "Up All Night" (4.03 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11) and "The Firm" (3.41 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.72 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (1.66 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) on The CW (2.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.5 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+29.41% - The Finder
+7.41% - The Mentalist
+5.26% - Parks & Recreation
+3.12% - Person of Interest
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - The Office
-5.00% - Up All Night
-8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-10.00% - The Firm
-10.53% - Grey's Anatomy
-11.11% - 30 Rock
-12.20% - Rob
-12.50% - Private Practice
-12.50% - The Secret Circle
-18.18% - Winter Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+112.50% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
+110.00% - Private Practice (vs. Private Practice (Repeat))
+83.33% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+40.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+33.33% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
+23.81% - The Big Bang Theory
+6.45% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
+3.57% - The Mentalist
-4.76% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples)
-27.27% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-28.21% - American Idol
-30.77% - Winter Wipeout
-35.56% - The Office
-38.89% - The Finder (vs. Bones)
-40.63% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-60.00% - The Firm (vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced)

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 4.0/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

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

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" (1.4/5). 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 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/20/11):

Night two of "American Idol" (22.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.8, #1) sparked FOX (16.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.7, #1) to victory on Thursday. Leading out of the broadcast was a new "Bones" (10.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4).

CBS (13.63 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.2, #3), "Bleep My Dad Says" (10.29 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (14.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #6) and "The Mentalist" (14.66 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7).

Next up was NBC (5.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) with its new all-comedy lineup of "Community" (4.74 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.2, #11), "Perfect Couples" (4.16 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.1, #12), "The Office" (8.28 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2), "Parks & Recreation" (6.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5), "30 Rock" (5.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8) and "Outsourced" (3.95 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.8, #13).

Meanwhile, ABC (5.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up a new "Wipeout" (8.25 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #10) followed by repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.71 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #14) and "Private Practice" (3.30 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.37 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) and "Nikita" (1.31 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.5, #17) on The CW (1.34 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Bones (56.50% vs. 12/9/10), 30 Rock (22.70% vs. 12/9/10), The Office (18.40% vs. 12/9/10), Community (10.00%), The Big Bang Theory (-4.50% vs. 1/6/11), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (-6.10% vs. 1/6/11), The Mentalist (-6.70% vs. 1/6/11), Bleep My Dad Says (-6.90%), Wipeout (-27.80%), Outsourced (-28.00% vs. 12/2/10).

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.2/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4

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

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research