nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, february 29, 2012)

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

FOX (17.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) held onto the top spot on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (17.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1).

ABC (8.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2) and CBS (11.43 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2) then split the silver as the former served up new episodes of "The Middle" (8.49 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6), "Suburgatory" (7.19 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8), "Modern Family" (11.68 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.8, #2), "Happy Endings" (6.18 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5) and "Revenge" (7.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8).

As for CBS, the Eye offered up fresh installments of "Survivor: One World" (10.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "Criminal Minds" (12.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3) - tied as its season low - and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up new episodes of "Whitney" (4.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), "Are You There, Chelsea?" (3.54 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) - tied as its series low, "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.89 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.38 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) - tied as its series low.

And finally, a new "One Tree Hill" (1.56 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) led into the season premiere of "America's Next Top Model" (1.29 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.42 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.3 rating while "Top Model" posted a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - America's Next Top Model
+16.67% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+13.04% - The Middle
+12.00% - Happy Endings
+4.35% - Suburgatory
+3.57% - Survivor: One World
+2.13% - Modern Family
0.00% - Revenge (vs. 2/15/12)
0.00% - Criminal Minds
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
0.00% - Whitney
0.00% - Are You There, Chelsea?
0.00% - One Tree Hill
-3.92% - American Idol
-7.14% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
+50.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
+41.18% - Revenge (vs. Off the Map)
+33.33% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+30.00% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
+17.07% - Modern Family
+16.67% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
+13.04% - The Middle
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
0.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-12.12% - Survivor: One World
-13.89% - Criminal Minds
-22.22% - One Tree Hill (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-24.38% - American Idol (vs. American Idol/Traffic Light)
-30.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It)

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," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/6 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" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/2/11):

FOX (18.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.5, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday thanks to another 90-minute "American Idol" (22.58 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.7, #1) followed by a special "Traffic Light" (7.40 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5), which hit a series high.

CBS (12.00 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its week three mix of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (11.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4), "Criminal Minds" (14.33 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (10.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6).

Third place went to ABC (6.86 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with fresh installments of "The Middle" (8.12 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8), "Better With You" (5.93 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9), "Modern Family" (10.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2), "Mr. Sunshine" (7.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7) and "Off the Map" (4.98 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a repeat of "Minute to Win It #1" (3.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) followed by a new "Minute to Win It #2" (3.55 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.34 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (2.00 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (1.12 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Criminal Minds (5.90%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (4.00%), Better With You (0.00%), Modern Family (0.00%), Mr. Sunshine (0.00%), Off the Map (0.00%), Survivor: Redemption Island (0.00%), American Idol (-2.50%), The Middle (-4.20%), America's Next Top Model (-18.20%), Shedding for the Wedding (-20.00%), Minute to Win It #2 (-23.10%).

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," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; 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," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

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" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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