nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 4, 2012)

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

FOX (16.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1) once again was the network to beat on Wednesday with a two-hour "American Idol" (16.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1).

CBS (11.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then claimed a distant silver with its original mix of "Survivor: One World" (10.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) - its series low for a regular telecast, "Criminal Minds" (11.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3).

Next up was ABC (3.85 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (3.75 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), "Suburgatory" (3.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Modern Family" (4.90 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5) followed by a new "Happy Endings" (3.70 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7) - a season low - and an encore of "Missing" (3.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up the debuts of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (7.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5) and "Best Friends Forever" (3.89 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) plus a new "Bent" (2.44 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), the season finale of "Bent" (2.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T15) - its series low - and an original "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.97 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13).

And finally, the opening hour of the "One Tree Hill" (1.37 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T15) finale and the second hour of the "One Tree Hill" (1.42 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13) finale closed out the evening on The CW (1.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 1.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - One Tree Hill - 8:00
+16.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 3/21/12)
0.00% - Bent - 9:00
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-3.57% - Survivor: One World
-6.00% - American Idol
-6.25% - Criminal Minds (vs. 3/21/12)
-12.50% - Bent - 9:30
-15.79% - Happy Endings
-30.77% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. 1/16/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - One Tree Hill - 9:00 (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
+80.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Minute to Win It)
+38.10% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
+20.00% - Best Friends Forever (vs. Minute to Win It)
0.00% - Bent - 9:00 (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
0.00% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
-12.90% - Survivor: One World
-16.67% - Criminal Minds
-22.22% - One Tree Hill - 8:00 (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-22.22% - Bent - 9:30 (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-24.19% - American Idol (vs. American Idol/Breaking In)
-65.22% - 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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). 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 0.8/4 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/6/11):

A 90-minute edition of "American Idol" (22.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1) sparked FOX (19.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.2, #1) to victory on Wednesday. Leading out of the broadcast was the premiere of "Breaking In" (9.88 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3), which posted the highest "Idol" retention of any sitcom in over four years in both categories (since "'Til Death" on 4/04/07).

CBS (11.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then snagged a distant second place with fresh installments of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #4), "Criminal Minds" (13.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (8.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6).

Next up was NBC (5.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) with a new "Minute to Win It" (3.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) followed by a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (4.77 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9), another "The Middle" (4.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and "Modern Family" (5.33 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7) alongside the departing "Mr. Sunshine" (4.63 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8) and the season finale of "Off the Map" (3.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.89 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (0.88 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Mr. Sunshine (14.30%), Survivor: Redemption Island (6.90%), Criminal Minds (5.90%), Off the Map (0.00%), America's Next Top Model (0.00%), Shedding for the Wedding (0.00%), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-4.20%), American Idol (-5.30%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-8.70%), Minute to Win It (-9.10%).

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/7; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 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