nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, february 7, 2013)

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

CBS (14.226 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (18.849 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (14.145 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T2), "Person of Interest" (15.162 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and "Elementary" (11.020 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7).

FOX (9.609 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "American Idol" (13.153 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.1, #T2) and "Glee" (6.065 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

Next up was ABC (7.199 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with an encore of "Shark Tank" (4.779 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.822 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "Scandal" (7.996 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.206 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) served up the return of "Community" (3.978 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11) alongside new episodes of "Parks & Recreation" (3.832 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10), "The Office" (4.250 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9), "1600 Penn" (2.814 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and week two of "Do No Harm" (2.180 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.499 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.519 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (2.009 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+17.65% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 1/24/13)
+15.09% - The Big Bang Theory
+10.71% - Grey's Anatomy
+5.13% - Two and a Half Men
+4.76% - Glee
+4.55% - Elementary
+3.70% - Scandal
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - The Office
-8.89% - American Idol
-14.29% - Beauty and the Beast
-15.38% - 1600 Penn (vs. 1/24/13)
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries
-22.22% - Do No Harm

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
+21.74% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+20.59% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
+20.00% - Community (vs. 30 Rock)
+10.91% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.03% - Person of Interest
-4.35% - Glee (vs. The Finder)
-8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.00% - The Office
-20.51% - Grey's Anatomy
-20.69% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-25.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-28.07% - American Idol
-38.89% - 1600 Penn (vs. Up All Night)
-53.33% - Do No Harm (vs. The Voice (Repeat))

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

* 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 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households 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 (2/9/12):

FOX (12.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) held onto the top demo honors on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (17.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.7, #1) and "The Finder" (6.52 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8).

CBS (14.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) however was the most-watched network with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.06 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.5, #2), "Rob" (11.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4), "Person of Interest" (15.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "The Mentalist" (14.36 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6).

Next up was ABC (7.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) with original installments of "Winter Wipeout" (5.24 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12), "Grey's Anatomy" (10.10 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.9, #3) and "Private Practice" (6.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.93 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its mix of "30 Rock" (3.89 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12), another "30 Rock" (3.81 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "The Office" (5.16 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7), "Up All Night" (3.70 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10) and a repeat of "The Voice" (3.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.97 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) and "The Secret Circle" (1.77 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.8, #16) rounded out the night on The CW (2.37 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.7 rating while "Circle" delivered a 1.0 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
15.38% - 30 Rock
14.29% - The Secret Circle
11.43% - Grey's Anatomy
5.56% - American Idol
3.57% - The Mentalist
1.85% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Rob
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - Private Practice
0.00% - Up All Night
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-4.17% - The Finder
-7.41% - The Office
-16.67% - Winter Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+41.03% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
+25.93% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
+17.86% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
+14.29% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
+6.67% - 30 Rock - 8:30 (vs. Perfect Couples)
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - The Mentalist
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-14.81% - Private Practice
-16.67% - 30 Rock - 8:00 (vs. Community)
-20.83% - American Idol
-30.30% - The Finder (vs. Bones)
-30.56% - The Office
-30.77% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-31.82% - 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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

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" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research