nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, july 5, 2012)

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

CBS (7.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday despite an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), another "The Big Bang Theory" (8.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1), "Person of Interest" (8.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "The Mentalist" (6.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

FOX (3.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then claimed the silver with the Saturday-bound "Take Me Out" (3.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) plus the penultimate week of "The Choice" (3.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4).

Next up was ABC (5.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with originals from "Duets" (4.82 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9), "Wipeout" (5.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and "Rookie Blue" (5.14 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up repeats of "The Office" (2.07 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) and "Parks & Recreation" (1.55 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) followed by new episodes of "Saving Hope" (2.18 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.26 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

And finally, the season finale of "Breaking Pointe" (0.92 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.48 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the nigiht. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Pointe" posted a 0.4 rating while "Diaries" delivered a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - The Choice
+30.00% - Take Me Out
+18.18% - Rookie Blue
+12.50% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
0.00% - Duets
0.00% - Breaking Pointe
-10.53% - Wipeout
-42.86% - Saving Hope

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+77.78% - The Choice (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+28.57% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Love Bites)
+6.25% - Wipeout (vs. Expedition Impossible)
-13.33% - Rookie Blue
-18.75% - Take Me Out (vs. So You Think You Can Dance 8)
-25.00% - Breaking Pointe (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-50.00% - Duets (vs. Wipeout)
-52.94% - Saving Hope (vs. The Office (Repeat)/30 Rock (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," 2.6/7 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) 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" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (7/7/11):

CBS (6.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) moved up to the top spot on Thursday thanks to the debut of "Big Brother 13" (7.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1). Bookending the broadcast were repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3), "Rules of Engagement" (5.19 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7) and "The Mentalist" (6.71 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

ABC (5.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then had to settle for second place with its original mix of "Wipeout" (6.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2), "Expedition Impossible" (5.52 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T4) and "Rookie Blue" (5.68 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Next up was FOX (4.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.37 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T4) followed by a repeat of "Glee" (3.12 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.15 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up repeats of "Community" (2.29 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), "Parks & Recreation" (2.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "The Office" (2.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9), "30 Rock" (2.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and a new "Love Bites" (1.97 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.16 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) and "Nikita" (0.12 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) on The CW (1.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Rookie Blue (7.10%), Wipeout (5.30%), So You Think You Can Dance (0.00%), Love Bites (0.00%), Expedition Impossible (-11.10%).

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," 2.6/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

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 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research