nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, march 8, 2012)

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

CBS (14.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #T1) and FOX (12.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #T1) split the demo crown on Thursday as the latter offered up a new "American Idol" (16.98 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #2) and the Friday-bound "The Finder" (7.28 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7).

The Eye then offered up a new "The Big Bang Theory" (15.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1), a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (12.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.0, #3) and new episodes of "Person of Interest" (15.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and "The Mentalist" (13.79 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

NBC (4.05 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) then claimed the bronze with its mix of "30 Rock" (3.49 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11), "Parks & Recreation" (3.77 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8) - which is taking a break until April 19, "The Office" (4.97 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6), "Up All Night" (3.54 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9) and "Awake" (4.25 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10).

Next up was ABC (4.17 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) with its repeat lineup of "Winter Wipeout" (4.56 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T13), "Grey's Anatomy" (4.09 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11) and "GCB" (3.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T13).

And finally, encores of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.17 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Supernatural" (0.89 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.03 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 0.3 rating while "Supernatural" delivered a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.00% - The Finder (vs. 2/23/12)
+12.00% - The Mentalist (vs. 2/23/12)
+11.76% - Parks & Recreation
+9.68% - Person of Interest (vs. 2/23/12)
+6.25% - Up All Night
+4.00% - The Office
0.00% - 30 Rock
-1.92% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 2/23/12)
-5.88% - American Idol
-15.79% - Awake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+137.50% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples (Repeat))
+85.71% - The Office (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+60.00% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock (Repeat)/Outsourced (Repeat))
+54.55% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation (Repeat))
+40.00% - 30 Rock (vs. Community (Repeat))
+34.21% - The Big Bang Theory
+9.68% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-6.67% - The Mentalist
-26.15% - American Idol
-32.35% - The Finder (vs. Bones)

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," 2.7/7 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 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," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's original "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/10/11):

FOX (16.34 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1) held onto top honors on Thursday with a new "American Idol" (21.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.5, #1) - a season low - and the return of "Bones" (10.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3).

CBS (12.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "The Big Bang Theory" (12.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (9.48 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (13.58 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #4) and "The Mentalist" (14.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5).

Next up was ABC (4.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with repeats of a two-hour "Wipeout" (5.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7) and "Grey's Anatomy" (3.46 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.44 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was out of the hunt with its all-repeat lineup of "Community" (2.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12), "Perfect Couples" (1.95 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14), "The Office" (2.98 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8), "Parks & Recreation" (2.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "30 Rock" (2.35 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Outsourced" (2.16 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13).

And finally, encores of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.28 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) and "Nikita" (1.10 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Rules of Engagement (21.70%), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (14.80% vs. 2/24/10), The Mentalist (7.10% vs. 2/24/10), Bones (3.00% vs. 2/17/10), The Big Bang Theory (0.00% vs. 2/24/10), American Idol (-19.80%).

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," 2.6/7 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/4 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research