nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, march 13, 2012)

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

CBS (10.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) was the most-watched network on Tuesday despite its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (11.29 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) and "Unforgettable" (7.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

FOX (4.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) and NBC (5.45 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) however shared the adults 18-49 crown alongside the Eye as the former offered up new episodes of "Raising Hope" (4.29 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5), "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (3.52 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), "New Girl" (5.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) and "Breaking In" (3.47 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

The Peacock then served up a 90-minute "The Biggest Loser 13" (6.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) - tied for its season low - followed by the debut of "Fashion Star" (4.55 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6).

Next up was ABC (5.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) with a repeat of "Last Man Standing" (5.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) followed by new episodes of "Cougar Town" (4.41 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8) - a series low, "The River" (4.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) - likewise a series low - and "Body of Proof" (7.28 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.22 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and "Ringer" (1.10 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.5 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+7.69% - Body of Proof (vs. 2/28/12)
+5.26% - The Biggest Loser 13
-6.67% - Cougar Town
-10.00% - New Girl
-11.76% - Breaking In
-13.33% - The River
-14.29% - 90210
-14.29% - Raising Hope
-18.75% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter
-20.00% - Ringer

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill (Repeat))
+100.00% - Ringer (vs. Hellcats (Repeat))
+55.56% - Cougar Town (vs. No Ordinary Family (Repeat))
+8.00% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
+7.69% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
-6.25% - Breaking In (vs. Traffic Light)
-18.78% - Fashion Star (vs. The Biggest Loser/America's Next Great Restaurant (Repeat))
-25.93% - The Biggest Loser 13
-27.78% - The River (vs. V)
-55.00% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee)
-67.50% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. Glee)

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

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" (1.1/4). 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 0.8/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 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 (3/15/11):

FOX (7.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) took home the demo crown on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "Glee" (10.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1), "Raising Hope" (6.30 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Traffic Light" (3.95 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7).

NBC (6.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "The Biggest Loser" (7.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and an encore of Sunday's "America's Next Great Restaurant" (3.96 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7). Said repeat actually bested its original telecast (4.18 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.4) in the key demo.

Next up was CBS (10.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (12.51 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) and "The Good Wife" (7.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a repeat of "No Ordinary Family" (3.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) followed by the season finale of "V" (5.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and the penultimate week of "Detroit 187" (5.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9), which closes its season on Sunday.

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.90 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Hellcats" (0.74 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Detroit 187 (18.20%), Traffic Light (6.70%), V (5.90%), The Biggest Loser (-6.90%), Raising Hope (-10.70%), Glee (-13.00%).

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," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research