nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, january 31, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (14.013 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) opened the February sweeps period on top with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.510 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (13.716 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.9, #3), "Person of Interest" (15.624 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "Elementary" (10.802 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7).

FOX (9.632 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then had to settle for a competitive second place with originals from "American Idol" (13.727 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2) and "Glee" (5.538 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8).

Next up was ABC (7.153 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with an encore of "Shark Tank" (4.589 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.774 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5) and "Scandal" (8.096 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.050 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up the penultimate "30 Rock" (4.886 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12) followed by the series finale of "30 Rock" (4.706 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T10), a new "The Office" (4.444 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8), a second new "The Office" (4.012 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T10) and the debut of "Do No Harm" (3.126 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

Said numbers make "Harm" the lowest-rated in-season scripted premiere ever on the four major broadcast networks.

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.572 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.732 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) on The CW (2.152 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.9 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - 30 Rock - 8:00
+5.00% - The Office - 9:00
+3.85% - Scandal (vs. 1/17/13)
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast
-3.03% - Person of Interest (vs. 1/10/13)
-6.67% - Grey's Anatomy
-7.14% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 1/10/13)
-8.33% - Elementary (vs. 1/10/13)
-11.76% - American Idol
-15.87% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 1/10/13)
-22.22% - Glee

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+38.46% - 30 Rock - 8:00
+17.39% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+14.71% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
+12.50% - Do No Harm (vs. The Firm)
+8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
+5.56% - 30 Rock - 8:30 (vs. Parks & Recreation)
+5.56% - The Office - 9:30 (vs. Up All Night)
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-1.85% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.03% - Person of Interest
-12.50% - Glee (vs. The Finder)
-16.67% - American Idol
-20.00% - Grey's Anatomy
-21.43% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-22.22% - The Office

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," 2.7/7; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/6 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "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" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households 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 (2/2/12):

FOX (12.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) held onto the demo crown on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (17.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #T1) and "The Finder" (6.93 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8).

CBS (14.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.38 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.4, #T1), "Rob" (11.28 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4), "Person of Interest" (14.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "The Mentalist" (13.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6). In the 8:00/7:00c half-hour, "Big Bang" actually beat "Idol" (15.82 million viewers, 5.0 adults 18-49 rating) in both categories.

Next up was ABC (7.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with original installments of "Winter Wipeout" (5.93 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.64 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "Private Practice" (6.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up its mix of "30 Rock" (3.21 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13), "Parks & Recreation" (3.65 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10), "The Office" (5.27 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7), "Up All Night" (3.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10) and "The Firm" (2.98 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.72 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (1.75 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) closed out the night on The CW (2.24 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.4 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.52% - Private Practice (vs. 1/19/12)
+9.09% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 1/19/12)
+5.88% - Parks & Recreation
+2.94% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Person of Interest (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - Winter Wipeout (vs. 1/19/12)
0.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. 1/19/12)
-2.86% - Rob
-3.45% - The Mentalist (vs. 1/19/12)
-5.26% - Up All Night (vs. 1/19/12)
-6.90% - The Office (vs. 1/19/12)
-17.24% - The Finder
-18.75% - 30 Rock
-20.00% - The Firm

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
28.57% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples)
25.58% - The Big Bang Theory
21.43% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
10.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - The Mentalist
-11.54% - Private Practice
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - Grey's Anatomy
-22.22% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-26.03% - American Idol
-27.03% - The Office
-27.27% - The Finder (vs. Bones)
-28.00% - Winter Wipeout
-28.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-35.00% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-61.90% - The Firm (vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced)

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," 2.8/7; 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," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/6 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" (0.8/5 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research