nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, march 21, 2012)

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

FOX (16.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) eclipsed the competition once again with a new two-hour "American Idol" (16.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) on Wednesday.

CBS (11.11 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Survivor: One World" (10.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) - the show's lowest original rating ever (excluding clip shows), "Criminal Minds" (11.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4) - matching its season low.

Next up was ABC (4.86 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with encores of "The Middle" (4.91 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11), "Suburgatory" (4.43 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and "Modern Family" (5.64 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5) followed by a new "Happy Endings" (4.12 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) - a season low - and a rebroadcast of "Missing" (5.03 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "Whitney" (4.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7) and "Are You There, Chelsea?" (3.49 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) plus the premiere of "Bent" (2.82 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) - the Peacock's lowest rated in-season comedy debut ever (since "The Paul Reiser Show" - 1.1 on 4/14/11), a second episode of "Bent" (2.42 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.99 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.45 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14) and "America's Next Top Model" (1.28 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) rounded out the night on The CW (1.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Top Model" posted a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - Are You There, Chelsea?
+20.00% - America's Next Top Model
+16.67% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+14.29% - Criminal Minds
+14.29% - Whitney
0.00% - One Tree Hill
-6.90% - Survivor: One World
-7.41% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-7.55% - American Idol
-25.00% - Happy Endings

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+52.38% - Criminal Minds (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
+50.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
+33.33% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It)
+16.67% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It)
+13.64% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-9.09% - Bent - 9:00 (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-10.00% - Survivor: One World
-18.18% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
-18.18% - Bent - 9:30 (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-30.00% - One Tree Hill (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-36.36% - American Idol
-73.08% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

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," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-4) 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 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/23/11):

FOX (23.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.7, #1) sailed to another victory on Wednesday with a two-hour "American Idol" (23.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.7, #1).

CBS (9.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) - a series low, a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (8.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7) and a new "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (8.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5).

Next up was ABC (6.46 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with its mix of "The Middle" (7.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #8) - a season low, a repeat of "The Middle" (5.81 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9), "Modern Family" (10.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Mr. Sunshine" (5.91 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5) and "Off the Map" (4.49 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

NBC (5.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) then was out of the hunt with a new "Minute to Win It" (4.21 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11), a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.99 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.68 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4).

And finally, fresh installments of "America's Next Top Model" (2.15 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (0.97 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Minute to Win It (33.30%), America's Next Top Model (25.00%), Mr. Sunshine (22.20%), Off the Map (7.10%), Modern Family (4.90% vs. 3/2/11), American Idol (4.10%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (4.00% vs. 2/23/11), Shedding for the Wedding (0.00%), Survivor: Redemption Island (-3.20%), The Middle (-13.00% vs. 3/2/11), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-15.40%).

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," 3.4/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

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" (1.3/5 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3 with an encore).

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