nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, february 2, 2012)

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

FOX (12.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) held onto the demo crown on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (17.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #T1) and "The Finder" (6.93 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8).

CBS (14.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.38 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.4, #T1), "Rob" (11.28 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4), "Person of Interest" (14.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "The Mentalist" (13.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6). In the 8:00/7:00c half-hour, "Big Bang" actually beat "Idol" (15.82 million viewers, 5.0 adults 18-49 rating) in both categories.

Next up was ABC (7.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with original installments of "Winter Wipeout" (5.93 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.64 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "Private Practice" (6.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up its mix of "30 Rock" (3.21 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13), "Parks & Recreation" (3.65 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10), "The Office" (5.27 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7), "Up All Night" (3.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10) and "The Firm" (2.98 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.72 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (1.75 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) closed out the night on The CW (2.24 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.4 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.52% - Private Practice (vs. 1/19/12)
+9.09% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 1/19/12)
+5.88% - Parks & Recreation
+2.94% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Person of Interest (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - Winter Wipeout (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. 1/19/12)
-2.86% - Rob
-3.45% - The Mentalist (vs. 1/19/12)
-5.26% - Up All Night (vs. 1/19/12)
-6.90% - The Office (vs. 1/19/12)
-17.24% - The Finder
-18.75% - 30 Rock
-20.00% - The Firm

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
28.57% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples)
25.58% - The Big Bang Theory
21.43% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
10.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - The Mentalist
-11.54% - Private Practice
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - Grey's Anatomy
-22.22% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-26.03% - American Idol
-27.03% - The Office
-27.27% - The Finder (vs. Bones)
-28.00% - Winter Wipeout
-28.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-35.00% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-61.90% - 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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/6 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" (0.8/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households 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 (2/3/11):

FOX (15.98 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1) once again was the network to beat on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (21.78 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.3, #1) and "Bones" (10.18 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5).

Sharing the silver then were ABC (8.73 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) and CBS (13.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) as the former served up new episodes of "Wipeout" (7.94 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T10), "Grey's Anatomy" (11.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.2, #3) and "Private Practice" (7.14 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9).

The Eye then offered up its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.82 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Bleep My Dad Says" (10.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T7), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (13.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #6) and "The Mentalist" (15.05 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) served up fresh installments of "Community" (4.35 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.0, #13), "Perfect Couples" (3.07 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T15), "The Office" (7.30 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.7, #4), "Parks & Recreation" (5.05 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T10), "30 Rock" (4.84 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.4, #12) and "Outsourced" (3.80 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.8, #14).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (3.18 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T15), "Nikita" (2.41 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.9, #17) on The CW (2.79 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Bleep My Dad Says (21.70%), Wipeout (4.20%), The Big Bang Theory (2.40% vs. 1/20/11), 30 Rock (0.00%), The Mentalist (0.00% vs. 1/20/11), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (-3.20% vs. 1/20/11), American Idol (-3.90%), Grey's Anatomy (-4.50% vs. 1/13/11), Outsourced (-5.30%), Private Practice (-7.10% vs. 1/6/11), The Office (-7.50%), Community (-9.10%), The Vampire Diaries (-12.50%), Bones (-15.40%), Parks & Recreation (-16.70%), Perfect Couples (-17.60%), Nikita (-18.20%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

Nielsen's 56 metered markets (with four markets excluded today), 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," 3.5/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/6.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 1.0/4; "Nightline," 1.3/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.6/4).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research