nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, february 21, 2013)

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

FOX (13.504 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) pulled into the top spot on Thursday with a special two-hour "American Idol" (13.504 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #T2).

CBS (13.522 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then had to settle for second place despite originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (17.337 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (13.442 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.9, #T2), "Person of Interest" (14.129 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5) and "Elementary" (11.046 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7).

Next up was ABC (7.161 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with week two of "Zero Hour" (5.322 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.543 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) and "Scandal" (7.617 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.173 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "Community" (3.078 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11), "Parks & Recreation" (3.029 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9), a second "Parks & Recreation" (2.910 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8), "1600 Penn" (2.303 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.859 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.887 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.558 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (2.223 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 2.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.9 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+30.00% - The Vampire Diaries
+20.00% - Beauty and the Beast
+11.11% - Grey's Anatomy
+8.33% - American Idol
+4.55% - Elementary
+2.63% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Community
-3.33% - Person of Interest
-3.57% - Scandal
-9.09% - 1600 Penn (vs. 2/7/13)
-13.33% - Parks & Recreation
-15.38% - Zero Hour

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+160.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+100.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
+30.00% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rob)
+22.73% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
+21.88% - American Idol (vs. American Idol/The Finder)
+3.85% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.23% - Grey's Anatomy
-6.45% - Person of Interest
-8.00% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-23.53% - Parks & Recreation - 8:30
-26.67% - Community (vs. 30 Rock)
-26.67% - Zero Hour (vs. Winter Wipeout)
-44.44% - 1600 Penn (vs. Up All Night)
-46.15% - Parks & Recreation - 9:00 (vs. 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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/8; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 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) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) tied "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 0.3/4 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 (2/23/12):

FOX (10.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T1) and CBS (13.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T1) posted a rare split among adults 18-49 on Thursday as the former offered up new episodes of "American Idol" (15.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #2) and "The Finder" (6.22 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9).

The latter then served up its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.11 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), "Rob" (10.63 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5), "Person of Interest" (14.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T3) and "The Mentalist" (13.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Next up ABC (6.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with the season finale of "Winter Wipeout" (4.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.91 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T3) and "Private Practice" (6.41 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.33 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) was out of the hunt with its combination of "30 Rock" (3.71 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12), "Parks & Recreation" (3.42 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11), "The Office" (4.98 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6), "Up All Night" (3.45 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10) and a repeat of "Grimm" (2.22 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14).

And finally, encores of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.29 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) and "Supernatural" (0.91 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 0.3 rating while "Supernatural" delivered a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Up All Night
+18.18% - The Office
+7.14% - 30 Rock
+6.90% - Person of Interest
+4.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Parks & Recreation
0.00% - Winter Wipeout
-6.25% - Rob
-10.71% - The Mentalist
-12.00% - American Idol
-13.04% - The Finder (vs. 2/9/12)
-15.38% - Private Practice

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+36.84% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
+21.43% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Perfect Couples)
+14.81% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
+7.14% - Rob (vs. Rules of Engagement)
-6.06% - Grey's Anatomy
-8.33% - Private Practice
-10.71% - The Mentalist
-16.67% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-21.21% - The Office
-25.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-31.82% - Winter Wipeout
-38.89% - American Idol
-72.22% - The Finder (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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 0.7/4; "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" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied 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 0.8/4 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