nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, january 10, 2013)

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

CBS (14.653 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (19.782 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.3, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (14.341 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2), "Person of Interest" (15.563 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and "Elementary" (11.333 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

The silver then went to ABC (7.791 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) with the return of "Last Resort" (5.787 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.219 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #4) and "Scandal" (8.368 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

Next up was NBC (3.936 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with a new "30 Rock" (3.770 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9), a rebroadcast of "1600 Penn" (3.927 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T9) plus fresh installments of "The Office" (4.534 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7), "1600 Penn" (3.852 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.766 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.655 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up a new "Mobbed" (3.277 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11) alongside a repeat of "Glee" (2.034 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14).

And finally, coverage of "The 18th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards" (1.925 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.925 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the telecast delivered a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. 12/20/12)
+27.27% - 30 Rock (vs. 12/6/12)
+20.00% - Mobbed
+5.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+4.76% - The Office (vs. 12/6/12)
+3.70% - Scandal (vs. 12/13/12)
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 12/13/12)
0.00% - Last Resort (vs. 12/13/12)
-2.94% - Person of Interest
-4.00% - Elementary
-8.70% - Two and a Half Men
-30.43% - 1600 Penn (vs. 12/17/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+21.15% - The Big Bang Theory
+16.67% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+10.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. The Firm)
+3.12% - Person of Interest
+2.44% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
-11.11% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-18.42% - Grey's Anatomy
-20.00% - 1600 Penn (vs. Up All Night)
-22.22% - 30 Rock
-24.14% - The Office
-40.00% - The 18th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (vs. The Vampire Diaries/The Secret Circle)
-45.45% - Last Resort (vs. Winter Wipeout)
-50.00% - Mobbed (vs. Bones)

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.7/7.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/6.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/6 in metered-market households and a 0.7/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* Thursday season averages heading into this week were: in metered-market households, "Tonight," 2.7 rating, 7 share; "Late Show," 2.7/7; "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5. In the Local People Meters, 18-49 season averages for Thursday were: "Tonight," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 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" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/12/12):

CBS (14.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) snagged the top spot on Thursday with a new "The Big Bang Theory" (15.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), the premiere of "Rob" (13.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) and fresh installments of "Person of Interest" (14.73 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "The Mentalist" (13.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Second place then went to ABC (8.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) with new episodes of "Winter Wipeout" (7.13 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9), "Grey's Anatomy" (10.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3) and "Private Practice" (6.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T7).

Next up was FOX (7.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with the winter finale of "Bones" (8.63 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T7) and the debut of "The Finder" (5.45 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #13).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.55 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up its new lineup of "30 Rock" (4.57 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "Parks & Recreation" (4.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "The Office" (5.87 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5), "Up All Night" (4.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10) and "The Firm" (4.24 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.81 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (2.06 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.8, #16) on The CW (2.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.6 rating while "Circle" delivered a 1.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Person of Interest (vs. 12/15/11)
+11.76% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 12/8/11)
+11.11% - Up All Night (vs. 12/7/11)
+10.64% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 12/8/11)
0.00% - The Office (vs. 12/8/11)
0.00% - The Mentalist (vs. 12/15/11)
0.00% - The Secret Circle
-11.11% - Bones (vs. 12/8/11)
-14.29% - Private Practice
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.56% - Grey's Anatomy
-21.43% - Winter Wipeout
-28.57% - The Firm (vs. 1/8/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
100.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
93.33% - The Office (vs. The Office (Repeat))
73.33% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
63.64% - 30 Rock (vs. Community (Repeat))
60.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
58.33% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Community (Repeat))
52.38% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Repeat))
42.11% - The Mentalist (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))
41.38% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
41.18% - Bones (vs. Million Dollar Money Drop)
30.77% - The Finder (vs. Bones (Repeat))
20.00% - Private Practice (vs. Off the Map (Repeat))
17.65% - Up All Night (vs. The Office (Repeat))
-13.64% - Grey's Anatomy
-16.67% - The Firm (vs. 30 Rock (Repeat))
-38.89% - Winter Wipeout

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; 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," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). 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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research