nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, september 11, 2012)

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

NBC (8.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with the launch of its fall lineup of "The Voice" (11.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1), "Go On" (9.57 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2), "The New Normal" (7.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Parenthood" (5.57 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4).

FOX (4.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then snagged the silver with its relocated "So You Think You Can Dance" (4.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5).

Next up was CBS (7.46 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (8.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6), "Hawaii Five-0" (6.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (6.80 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

ABC (2.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) was likewise all second runs with its mix of "The Middle" (3.84 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9), "Last Man Standing" (3.03 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10), "Happy Endings" (2.28 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (1.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) and "Private Practice" (1.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13).

And finally, encores of "Hart of Dixie" (0.70 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "The Next" (0.64 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) closed out the night for The CW (0.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 0.3 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+7.14% - So You Think You Can Dance (vs. 9/5/12)
0.00% - The New Normal (vs. 9/10/12)
-46.88% - Go On (vs. 8/8/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+254.55% - The Voice
+66.67% - So You Think You Can Dance
-5.56% - Go On
-17.39% - Parenthood
-30.56% - The New Normal

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.6/6; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/13/11):

NBC (8.23 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) took home top honors on Tuesday thanks to the penultimate episode of "America's Got Talent" (13.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1). Said broadcast was bookended by the season finale of "It's Worth What?" (4.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) and the season premiere of "Parenthood" (6.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2). "Parenthood" possted its largest overall audience in the past year, since its year-ago season premiere on 9/14/10.

ABC (7.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Wipeout" (6.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) and the two-hour special "Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" (8.43 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

Next up was CBS (8.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with encores of "NCIS" (10.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (8.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) and another "NCIS: Los Angeles" (8.04 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4).

Meanwhile, The CW (2.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up the return of "90210" (1.63 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and the premiere of "Ringer" (2.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8). The former was off from last year's "One Tree Hill" season premiere (2.18 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.1) while "Ringer" improved on "Life Unexpected" second season debut (1.74 million viewers; adults 18-49: 0.8). Overall, "Ringer" posted the largest audience in the network's Tuesday, 9:00/8:00c time period in over two years and the highest 18-49 rating since the debut of "Melrose Place" (1.3 on 9/8/09).

And finally, repeats of "Glee" (2.73 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10), "Raising Hope" (1.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and another "Raising Hope" (1.92 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) on FOX (2.18 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Got Talent (24.1%), It's Worth What? (0.0%).

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," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6 with an encore; 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," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research