nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, february 6, 2013)

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

FOX (14.178 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) as is custom was the network to beat on Wednesday with a new two-hour "American Idol" (14.178 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1).

ABC (6.876 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its mix of "The Middle" (8.412 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5), "The Neighbors" (6.330 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7), "Modern Family" (10.142 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "Suburgatory" (5.882 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6) and "Nashville" (5.246 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

Next up was CBS (10.006 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with a repeat of "Person of Interest" (7.263 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11) followed by originals from "Criminal Minds" (11.829 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.927 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.020 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Whitney" (3.533 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11), "Guys With Kids" (3.186 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T11), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.186 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10) and "Chicago Fire" (6.516 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7).

And finally, originals from "Arrow" (2.952 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) and "Supernatural" (2.224 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15) on The CW (2.588 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.8 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Suburgatory
+12.50% - The Neighbors
+11.11% - Arrow
+9.09% - Guys With Kids
0.00% - Supernatural
-5.56% - Nashville (vs. 1/23/13)
-7.32% - Modern Family (vs. 1/23/13)
-7.69% - Whitney
-8.00% - The Middle (vs. 1/23/13)
-10.00% - Criminal Minds (vs. 1/23/13)
-10.00% - Chicago Fire
-11.11% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 1/23/13)
-11.76% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-14.81% - American Idol

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+125.00% - Supernatural (vs. Remodeled)
+42.86% - Arrow (vs. One Tree Hill)
+36.36% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+2.22% - American Idol (vs. American Idol/Mobbed)
-11.11% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-11.54% - The Middle
-18.18% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-20.00% - Whitney
-20.00% - Guys With Kids (vs. Are You There, Chelsea?)
-20.59% - Criminal Minds
-28.00% - The Neighbors (vs. Suburgatory)
-30.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Happy Endings)
-30.91% - Modern Family
-32.00% - Nashville (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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/6.

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

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 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" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) tied "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 0.3/2 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 (2/8/12):

FOX (13.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) was Wednesday's top draw thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (18.94 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) and "Mobbed" (8.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T4).

ABC (8.45 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "The Middle" (8.48 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #7), "Suburgatory" (7.27 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8), "Modern Family" (12.85 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.5, #2), "Happy Endings" (6.90 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T4) and "Revenge" (7.58 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8).

Next up was CBS (10.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with the special "Person to Person" (6.02 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) followed by new episodes of "Criminal Minds" (13.61 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.44 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up new episodes of "Whitney" (4.07 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11), "Are You There, Chelsea?" (3.68 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11), the relocated "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (5.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.74 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #10).

And finally, "One Tree Hill" (1.29 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) and "Remodeled" (0.71 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) on The CW (1.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 1.3 rating while "Remodeled" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. 1/30/12)
+33.33% - Remodeled
+22.22% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 1/18/12)
+10.00% - Modern Family (vs. 1/18/12)
+3.45% - Mobbed
+3.45% - Happy Endings (vs. 1/18/12)
+1.69% - American Idol
0.00% - The Middle (vs. 1/18/12)
0.00% - Revenge (vs. 1/18/12)
0.00% - Suburgatory (vs. 1/18/12)
0.00% - One Tree Hill
-5.56% - Criminal Minds (vs. 1/25/12)
-11.76% - Whitney
-11.76% - Are You There, Chelsea?
-18.18% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 1/25/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - One Tree Hill (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+31.58% - Revenge (vs. Off the Map)
+25.00% - Mobbed (vs. Human Target)
+25.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+22.22% - Person to Person (vs. Live to Dance)
+17.39% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Blue Bloods)
+15.38% - Whitney (vs. Minute to Win It)
+15.38% - Are You There, Chelsea? (vs. Minute to Win It)
+10.00% - Modern Family
0.00% - Remodeled (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
0.00% - The Middle
-8.11% - Criminal Minds
-15.38% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-18.92% - Happy Endings (vs. Mr. Sunshine)
-27.71% - American Idol
-52.17% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It)

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," 3.3/8; 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," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; 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" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research