nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, march 29, 2012)

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

FOX (12.20 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) took home top demo honors on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (15.27 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2) and "Touch" (9.13 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T4).

CBS (13.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then was the most-watched network with the post-NCAA returns of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) - tied as its season low, "Rules of Engagement" (8.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T4), "Person of Interest" (14.41 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and "The Mentalist" (13.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Next up was NBC (3.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Community" (3.63 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7) and "30 Rock" (3.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #8) followed by a repeat of "The Office" (2.60 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11) and new episodes of "Up All Night" (2.95 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10) - a series low - and "Awake" (3.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) - likewise a series low.

Meanwhile, ABC (4.91 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "Missing" (7.72 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9) plus repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.21 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11) and "Private Practice" (2.81 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

And finally on The CW (1.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5), originals of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.36 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and "The Secret Circle" (1.34 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.7 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+5.00% - American Idol
+3.70% - Rules of Engagement (vs. 12/15/11)
0.00% - Community
0.00% - 30 Rock
-2.94% - Person of Interest (vs. 3/8/12)
-3.57% - The Mentalist (vs. 3/8/12)
-7.14% - Up All Night
-11.76% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 3/8/12)
-12.50% - Touch
-12.50% - Missing
-14.29% - The Secret Circle
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - Awake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+120.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+88.89% - Community (vs. Community (Repeat))
+50.00% - 30 Rock (vs. Perfect Couples)
+50.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+25.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+21.74% - Rules of Engagement
+18.18% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation (Repeat))
+17.86% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock (Repeat)/Outsourced (Repeat))
-3.57% - The Mentalist
-26.32% - Touch (vs. Mobbed)
-26.32% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
-37.31% - American Idol

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

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 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-4) 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

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/31/11):

FOX (16.43 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday thanks to a new "American Idol" (22.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1) and the reality special "Mobbed" (10.85 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3). Said numbers marked the most-watched unscripted telecast to follow an "Idol" episode in over two years (since "Hell's Kitchen" on 1/29/09).

ABC (8.89 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home second place with new episodes of "Wipeout" (6.34 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9), "Grey's Anatomy" (12.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.8, #2) and "Private Practice" (7.60 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7).

Next up was CBS (12.10 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) with the post-NCAA return of "The Big Bang Theory" (11.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4), "Rules of Engagement" (8.18 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (12.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T5) and "The Mentalist" (13.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up its mix of "Community" (2.29 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15), "Perfect Couples" (2.14 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12), "The Office" (3.16 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), "Parks & Recreation" (2.39 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), "30 Rock" (2.16 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) and "Outsourced" (2.12 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) - all repeats, save for "Couples," which hit a series low without first-run bookends.

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.20 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and "Nikita" (1.15 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.4, #17) on The CW (1.18 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Grey's Anatomy (33.30%), American Idol (8.10%), Private Practice (0.00%), The Big Bang Theory (-5.30% vs. 3/10/11), The Mentalist (-6.70% vs. 3/10/11), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (-9.70% vs. 3/10/11), Wipeout (-13.60%), Rules of Engagement (-17.90% vs. 3/10/11), Perfect Couples (-37.50%).

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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research