nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, august 23, 2012)

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

CBS (6.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) was the top draw on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (6.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3), "Big Brother 14" (6.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) and "Person of Interest" (5.36 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8).

ABC (5.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Wipeout" (5.43 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5), a second new "Wipeout" (5.39 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) and "Rookie Blue" (4.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Next up was NBC (4.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with repeats of "The Office" (3.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and "Parks & Recreation" (2.82 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) followed by originals from "Saving Hope" (3.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (5.42 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up its repeat lineup of "Raising Hope" (2.24 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11), "New Girl" (2.04 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and "Glee" (2.08 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14).

And finally, new episodes of "Oh Sit!" (0.91 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "The Next" (0.84 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (0.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Oh Sit!" delivered a 0.4 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Oh Sit!
+6.25% - Wipeout - 9:00
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
0.00% - The Next
-4.35% - Big Brother 14
-7.69% - Rookie Blue
-11.11% - Saving Hope

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+13.33% - Wipeout - 9:00 (vs. Expedition Impossible)
0.00% - The Next (vs. Plain Jane (Repeat))
-7.69% - Rookie Blue
-20.00% - Oh Sit! (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-21.05% - Wipeout - 8:00
-23.81% - Saving Hope (vs. The Office (Repeat)/30 Rock (Repeat))
-31.25% - Big Brother 14

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; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/7; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

· At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 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 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 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 (8/25/11):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL preseason preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC are inflated.]

CBS (7.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) continued its reign on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.94 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (6.14 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4), "Big Brother 13" (8.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) and "The Mentalist" (6.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

ABC (5.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Wipeout" (6.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) followed by the season finale of "Expedition Impossible" (5.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and a new "Rookie Blue" (5.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Next up was FOX (4.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with encores of "Bones" (3.96 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10) and another "Bones" (4.53 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "Community" (2.86 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), "Parks & Recreation" (2.47 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), "The Office" (3.02 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9), "30 Rock" (2.68 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.22 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.27 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) and "Plain Jane" (0.79 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.03 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Expedition Impossible (15.4%), Rookie Blue (8.3%), Big Brother 13 (6.7%), Wipeout (0.0%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

Currently not available at press time.

Source: Nielsen Media Research