nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, february 14, 2013)

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

CBS (13.794 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) held onto the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.625 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (13.744 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "Person of Interest" (14.825 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) and "Elementary" (10.872 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7).

FOX (8.748 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "American Idol" (12.333 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "Glee" (5.164 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10).

Next up was ABC (7.565 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with the launch of "Zero Hour" (6.290 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.369 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6) and "Scandal" (8.036 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.478 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up new episodes of "Community" (2.747 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13), "Parks & Recreation" (3.153 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), "The Office" (4.115 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8), another "The Office" (3.962 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.445 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.305 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.407 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.856 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) rounded out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - The Office
-4.35% - Elementary
-6.25% - Person of Interest
-7.32% - Two and a Half Men
-9.09% - The Vampire Diaries
-11.48% - The Big Bang Theory
-12.20% - American Idol
-12.90% - Grey's Anatomy
-16.67% - Beauty and the Beast
-22.73% - Glee
-25.00% - Parks & Recreation
-38.89% - Community

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - The Office - 9:30 (vs. Up All Night)
+18.75% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
+8.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+7.69% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+3.45% - Person of Interest
-4.55% - The Office - 9:00
-11.76% - Parks & Recreation
-12.90% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.33% - Zero Hour (vs. Winter Wipeout)
-21.43% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-21.43% - Community (vs. 30 Rock)
-23.08% - The Vampire Diaries
-28.00% - American Idol
-37.50% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-66.00% - Glee (vs. American Idol)

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," 2.8/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.5/7.

* 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," 0.7/4; 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 0.6/4 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) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 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 (2/16/12):

FOX (16.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to a two-hour edition of "American Idol" (16.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #T1).

CBS (13.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then had to settle for second place with fresh installments of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.0, #T1), "Rob" (10.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3), "Person of Interest" (13.25 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5) and "The Mentalist" (13.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6).

Next up was ABC (6.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with originals from "Winter Wipeout" (5.13 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10) - a season low, "Grey's Anatomy" (8.13 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #4) - tied as its season low - and "Private Practice" (7.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #7).

Next up was NBC (3.09 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) and its mix of "30 Rock" (3.60 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), "Parks & Recreation" (3.51 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9) - tied as its series low, "The Office" (4.34 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8) - its series low, "Up All Night" (3.01 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10) - its series low with regular telecasts - and a repeat of "Grimm" (2.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.86 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) and "The Secret Circle" (1.76 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) closed out the night on The CW (2.31 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 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.04% - Private Practice
+8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Winter Wipeout
0.00% - The Secret Circle
-3.45% - The Mentalist
-5.56% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 2/2/12)
-5.88% - Rob
-6.67% - 30 Rock
-9.09% - The Big Bang Theory
-12.00% - The Office
-12.12% - Person of Interest
-12.28% - American Idol
-16.67% - Up All Night
-20.51% - Grey's Anatomy

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+35.14% - The Big Bang Theory
+23.08% - Rob (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
+21.43% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples)
+8.33% - Private Practice
0.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
0.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-6.67% - The Mentalist
-7.14% - The Vampire Diaries
-7.41% - American Idol (vs. American Idol/Bones)
-16.22% - Grey's Anatomy
-21.05% - Winter Wipeout
-22.22% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-33.33% - The Office
-34.78% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)

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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "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" (0.5/3 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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research