nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, september 13, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (8.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top demo draw on Thursday with night two of "The X Factor" (8.41 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) premiere followed by the return of "Glee" (8.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

In what's becoming a familiar refrain this fall, both shows returned down from their previous openers on 9/22/11 (11.43 million viewers; adults 18-49: 3.9) and 9/20/11 (8.91 million viewers; adults 18-49: 3.8), respectively.

NBC (9.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the two-hour season finale of "America's Got Talent" (10.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) plus the season opener to "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (6.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Next up was CBS (5.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (5.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6), "Big Brother 14" (5.77 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) and "Person of Interest" (5.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up a new "Wipeout" (3.60 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) alongside repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (2.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and "Scandal" (2.45 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

And finally, The CW (0.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night with a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.03 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and a new "The Next" (0.71 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "The Vampire Diaries" delivered a 0.5 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - America's Got Talent
+16.67% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. 8/23/12)
-9.09% - Big Brother 14
-15.38% - Wipeout
-33.33% - The Next

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+244.44% - The X Factor (vs. Bones (Repeat))
+200.00% - Glee (vs. Bones (Repeat))
+140.00% - America's Got Talent (vs. Community (Repeat)/Up All Night (Repeat)/The Office (Repeat)/Free Agents (Repeat))
+75.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+33.33% - Big Brother 14 (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))
-50.00% - Wipeout
-84.62% - The Next (vs. The Secret Circle)

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," 2.5/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.8/5 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," 0.7/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

· 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" (0.4/3 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 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/15/11):

CBS (8.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) was the most-watched network on Thursday with repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2), another "The Big Bang Theory" (8.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) and a two-hour "The Mentalist" (7.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4).

ABC (5.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) then shared the demo crown with the two-hour season finale of "Wipeout" "Wipeout" (6.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) alongside a repeat of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.21 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Next up was The CW (2.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) which claimed a rare bronze with the return of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.99 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and the series premiere of "The Secret Circle" (2.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7). "Circle" posted the largest original audience in its time period since "Nikita" on 9/23/10.

Next up was FOX (3.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) with encores of "Bones" (3.70 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12) and another "Bones" (3.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

And finally, NBC (2.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening with its all-repeat lineup of "Community" (2.17 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14), "Up All Night" (2.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11), "The Office" (3.13 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5), "Free Agents" (2.39 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.96 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Wipeout (22.2% vs. 9/1/11).

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," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/7; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

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" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 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 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research