nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 25, 2012)

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

FOX (16.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) had no trouble holding onto the top spot on Wednesday with a new two-hour "American Idol" (16.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1).

CBS (7.94 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed a distant second place with a new "Survivor: One World" (9.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) - its series low, excluding clip shows and Thanksgiving - followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (7.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9).

Next up was ABC (5.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (4.95 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), "Suburgatory" (4.50 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10) and "Modern Family" (5.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) plus new episodes of "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (4.89 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4) and "Revenge" (6.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4) - a series low.

Meanwhile, NBC (4.82 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.81 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7), "Best Friends Forever" (2.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13), "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.79 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.40 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7) - matching its series low.

And finally, a rebroadcast of "The L.A. Complex" (0.72 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) and a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (0.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Complex" posted a 0.4 rating while "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+6.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-2.13% - American Idol
-3.70% - Survivor: One World
-5.88% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
-11.11% - Best Friends Forever
-13.04% - Revenge
-16.67% - America's Next Top Model
-23.08% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Inside the Royal Wedding)
+5.26% - Revenge (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Modern Family (Repeat))
-4.76% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
-13.33% - Survivor: One World
-21.10% - American Idol (vs. American Idol 10/Breaking In)
-23.81% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. The Voice (Repeat))
-33.33% - Best Friends Forever (vs. Inside the Royal Wedding)
-50.00% - America's Next Top Model
-57.14% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. The Voice (Repeat))

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," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

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" (1.1/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/4 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 (4/27/11):

FOX (18.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) once again was the network to beat on Wednesday with fresh installments of "American Idol" (21.67 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.9, #1) and "Breaking In" (7.61 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3).

CBS (9.16 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then took home the silver with a new "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (9.14 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (7.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T9).

Next up was NBC (5.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) with its "Inside the Royal Wedding" (5.21 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13) special followed by an encore of "The Voice" (6.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4).

Meanwhile, ABC (5.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) offered up its mix of a repeat "The Middle" (5.19 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), "Better With You" (4.82 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11) - a series low, a repeat "Modern Family" (6.02 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #8), "Cougar Town" (5.61 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4) - a season low, "Happy Endings" (5.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4) and another "Modern Family" (4.42 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T9).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.19 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (2.32 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) on The CW (1.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Next Top Model (42.90%), Happy Endings (16.70%), Breaking In (4.00%), American Idol (1.50%), Survivor: Redemption Island (0.00%), Better With You (-6.30%), Cougar Town (-12.50%).

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

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" (1.4/5 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research