nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, november 21, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the network to beat on the final night of the November sweeps period thanks to new episodes of "Survivor: Philippines" (9.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T2), "Criminal Minds" (11.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T2).

FOX (7.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "The X Factor" (6.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6) and a second installment of "The X Factor" (7.39 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T2).

Next up was ABC (5.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with repeats of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (8.09 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "Modern Family" (5.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7) and "Suburgatory" (3.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) plus a special new "Private Practice" (3.68 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up originals from "Whitney" (3.94 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "Guys With Kids" (3.50 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9) and "Chicago Fire" (5.43 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

And finally, the feature "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1.72 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-4.17% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-10.00% - Criminal Minds
-11.54% - Survivor: Philippines
-12.50% - Chicago Fire
-15.38% - Guys With Kids
-18.75% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-21.43% - Whitney
-23.33% - The X Factor - 9:00
-27.59% - The X Factor - 8:00

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Criminal Minds (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
+43.75% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Repeat))
+43.75% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Mobbed)
+21.05% - Survivor: Philippines
+16.67% - Chicago Fire (vs. The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?)
+10.00% - Guys With Kids (vs. Up All Night (Repeat))
+8.33% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?)
-16.00% - The X Factor - 8:00
-26.67% - Whitney (vs. Up All Night)
-52.38% - Private Practice (vs. Revenge)

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," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

* 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" (1.4/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 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 (11/23/11):

ABC (8.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) took home the top pre-holiday honors with new episodes of "The Middle" (9.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3), "Suburgatory" (8.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3), "Modern Family" (12.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "Happy Endings" (7.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and "Revenge" (7.24 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6).

FOX (6.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then got bumped to second place with a new "The X Factor" (8.51 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3) and the return of "Mobbed" (4.70 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Next up was CBS (7.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with a new "Survivor: South Pacific" (7.85 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (8.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.68 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "Up All Night" (4.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), a repeat of "Up All Night" (2.99 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and the second annual "The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?" (3.69 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) special.

And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (0.86 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (0.99 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (0.93 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" posted a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-10.71% - Suburgatory
-13.79% - The Middle
-15.63% - Happy Endings
-18.18% - Modern Family
-19.23% - Revenge
-21.05% - Up All Night
-30.56% - The X Factor
-42.42% - Survivor: South Pacific
-50.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+78.57% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target)
+33.33% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Hellcats (Repeat))
+31.58% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+21.62% - Modern Family
+19.05% - The Middle
+16.67% - Revenge (vs. Primetime: Celebrity Plastic Surgery Gone Too Far?)
+8.00% - Happy Endings (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - Up All Night (vs. Merry Madagascar (Repeat))
-5.00% - Survivor: South Pacific
-27.27% - Mobbed (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-29.41% - The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?

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," 2.7/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/7; 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," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research