nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, march 7, 2012)

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

A two-hour installment of "American Idol" (18.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) had no trouble keeping FOX (18.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #1) in front on Wednesday.

CBS (8.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then snagged a distant second place with a new "Survivor: One World" (10.63 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (7.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (8.30 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5).

Next up was ABC (5.11 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (5.25 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), "Suburgatory" (4.56 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and "Modern Family" (6.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) followed by a new "Happy Endings" (4.53 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) and the special "Revenge for Real" (5.07 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up new episodes of "Whitney" (4.32 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and "Are You There, Chelsea?" (3.67 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) plus the relocated "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.56 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.48 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) and "America's Next Top Model" (1.41 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.4 rating while "Top Model" posted a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+42.86% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+15.38% - Are You There, Chelsea?
+14.29% - American Idol
+10.34% - Survivor: One World
+6.67% - Whitney
0.00% - One Tree Hill
0.00% - America's Next Top Model
-28.57% - Happy Endings

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It)
+50.00% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It)
+20.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
+11.11% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
0.00% - Survivor: One World
0.00% - Revenge for Real (vs. Off the Map)
-28.57% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-30.00% - American Idol
-36.36% - One Tree Hill (vs. America's Next Top Model)

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," 2.4/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's original "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/9/11):

FOX (9.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) claimed the top spot on Monday with new episodes of "House" (11.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) and "The Chicago Code" (7.51 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6).

ABC (8.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with a new "The Bachelor" (9.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) followed by a repeat of "Castle" (5.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10).

Next up was CBS (8.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (6.42 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7), "Mad Love" (7.27 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (10.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "Mike & Molly" (9.29 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.58 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) saw the return of "The Event" (5.23 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) - a series low - followed by a new "Harry's Law" (9.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.71 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) and "Gossip Girl" (0.49 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) on The CW (0.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): House (0.00%), The Chicago Code (0.00%), Harry's Law (0.00%), The Bachelor (-8.80%), Mad Love (-11.10%), The Event (-26.30% vs. 11/29/10).

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," 2.7/7 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/8; 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," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research