nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, october 24, 2012)

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

FOX (10.99 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) pulled into the top spot on Wednesday with its coverage of the "World Series, Game 1" (10.99 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2).

CBS (10.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T2) then claimed the silver with its original mix of "Survivor: Philippines" (10.14 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4), "Criminal Minds" (11.51 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7).

ABC (8.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T2) nevertheless shared second place honors with its combination of "The Middle" (8.61 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6), "The Neighbors" (6.87 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8), "Modern Family" (12.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1), "Suburgatory" (7.45 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5) and "Nashville" (6.58 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

Next up was NBC (5.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and new episodes of "Animal Practice" (3.80 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13), "Guys With Kids" (3.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.68 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10) and "Chicago Fire" (6.30 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10).

And finally, originals from "Arrow" (3.47 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) and "Supernatural" (1.90 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (2.68 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 1.1 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Chicago Fire
+20.00% - Animal Practice
+12.50% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+6.52% - Modern Family
+5.26% - The Neighbors
+3.70% - Survivor: Philippines
0.00% - The Middle
0.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
0.00% - Nashville
-3.23% - Criminal Minds
-3.57% - Suburgatory
-7.14% - Guys With Kids
-15.38% - Arrow
-30.00% - Supernatural

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+175.00% - Arrow (vs. Ringer (Repeat))
+125.00% - Chicago Fire (vs. Prime Suspect (Repeat))
+125.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Vs. Harry's Law (Repeat))
+20.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Repeat))
+11.36% - Modern Family (vs. Modern Family (Repeat))
+9.09% - Animal Practice (vs. Up All Night (Repeat))
+8.33% - Guys With Kids (vs. Whitney (Repeat))
+7.14% - Criminal Minds (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
-17.65% - Survivor: Philippines
-19.35% - The Middle
-22.86% - Suburgatory (vs. Happy Endings)
-28.57% - Nashville (vs. Revenge)
-30.00% - Supernatural (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-41.18% - The Neighbors (vs. Suburgatory)

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

* "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," which featured guest President Barack Obama, delivered the show's highest overnights for a Wednesday telecast in more than two-and-a-half years (since March 3, 2010 during Jay Leno's first week back as host of "Tonight"), with a 4.0 rating,10 share in metered-market households.

* Last night's edition improved on "Tonight's" Wednesday season average in metered-market households by 48 percent (4.0 vs. 2.7). Total-viewer results for last night's telecast aren't due from Nielsen until the late-night week is reported nationally on November 1. Note that through three weeks, NBC had been averaging 3.4 million viewers with its Wednesday telecasts.

* At 12:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" scored the show's highest overnights for a Wednesday edition in more than three years (since June 3, 2009), with a 1.9 rating, 7 share in metered-market households.

* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 4.0/10; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; 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," 1.3/6; "Late Show," 0.7/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.9/7 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/26/11):

ABC (9.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) took home the top spot on Wednesday thanks to its mix of "The Middle" (10.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5), "Suburgatory" (9.83 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T3), a repeat of "Modern Family" (11.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "Happy Endings" (8.34 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and "Revenge" (8.71 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6).

CBS (10.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then got bumped to second place with a new "Survivor: South Pacific" (11.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T3) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (11.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.01 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #8).

Next up was NBC (3.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "Up All Night" (3.81 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10), "Whitney" (4.11 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9), "Harry's Law" (4.42 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12) and "Prime Suspect" (3.51 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T4) offered up repeats of "Glee" (2.48 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14) and another "Glee" (2.32 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14) due to the World Series rain delay.

And finally, a repeat of "Ringer" (1.29 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (2.23 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11) on The CW (1.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T4). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Ringer" posted a 0.4 rating while "Top Model" delivered a 1.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - America's Next Top Model
+16.67% - Happy Endings
+12.00% - Revenge
+9.68% - Suburgatory
+6.90% - The Middle
+3.03% - Survivor: South Pacific

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+133.33% - Revenge (vs. The Whole Truth)
+36.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+10.71% - The Middle
+6.06% - Happy Endings (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Hellcats)
0.00% - Survivor: South Pacific

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," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; 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," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.3/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

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" with an encore (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research