nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, march 5, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (11.493 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with a special two-hour "American Idol" (11.493 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1).

CBS (15.187 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) however was the still the most-watched telecaster with new episodes of "NCIS" (20.346 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.946 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and "Golden Boy" (9.271 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4).

Next up was ABC (4.582 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with originals from "Celebrity Wife Swap" (4.074 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5), "The Taste" (3.170 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Body of Proof" (6.503 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.993 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (3.638 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10) and another "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (3.613 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) followed by new episodes of "Go On" (3.036 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "The New Normal" (2.443 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) and "Smash" (2.614 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12).

And finally, a new "Hart of Dixie" (1.444 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and a repeat of "Beauty and the Beast" (0.753 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.098 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 1.0 rating while "Beast" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Body of Proof
0.00% - Go On
0.00% - Hart of Dixie
-2.94% - NCIS
-3.45% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-10.00% - The New Normal
-11.11% - Golden Boy
-14.29% - The Taste
-22.22% - Smash
-37.50% - Celebrity Wife Swap

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+61.90% - American Idol (vs. Raising Hope/I Hate My Teenage Daughter/New Girl/Breaking In)
+47.37% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat))
+37.50% - NCIS (vs. NCIS (Repeat))
+33.33% - Body of Proof (vs. Body of Proof (Repeat))
+14.29% - Golden Boy (vs. Unforgettable (Repeat))
+3.45% - Celebrity Wife Swap (vs. Last Man Standing (Repeat)/Cougar Town)
-14.29% - Hart of Dixie (vs. 90210)
-20.00% - The Taste (vs. The River)
-30.00% - Smash (vs. NBC News Special)
-42.11% - Go On (vs. The Biggest Loser 13)
-52.63% - The New Normal (vs. The Biggest Loser 13)

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," 2.4/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.3/6.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

* 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" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 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 (3/6/12):

FOX (4.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) took hom the demo crown with the premiere of its four comedy lineup of "Raising Hope" (4.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3), "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (3.78 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7), "New Girl" (5.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) and "Breaking In" (3.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6).

CBS (11.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) however was still the most-watched network despite its all-repeat mix of "NCIS" (14.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (11.89 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T4) and "Unforgettable" (8.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10).

NBC (4.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) then snagged the bronze with a new "The Biggest Loser 13" (5.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T4) - a season low - followed by a Super Tuesday "NBC News Special" (3.14 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a repeat of "Last Man Standing" (5.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) alongside new episodes of "Cougar Town" (4.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and "The River" (4.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) - both tied for series lows - plus a repeat of "Body of Proof" (4.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.29 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) and "Ringer" (1.24 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) closed out the evening for The CW (1.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.1 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Ringer
0.00% - New Girl (vs. 2/21/12)
0.00% - Cougar Town
0.00% - The River
0.00% - 90210 (vs. 2/7/12)
-4.55% - Raising Hope (vs. 2/21/12)
-5.00% - The Biggest Loser 13
-23.81% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. 12/21/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill (Repeat))
+50.00% - Cougar Town (vs. No Ordinary Family (Repeat))
+13.33% - Breaking In (vs. Traffic Light)
+7.14% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
0.00% - Ringer (vs. Hellcats (Repeat))
-11.76% - The River (vs. V)
-16.67% - NBC News Special (vs. Parenthood (Repeat))
-34.48% - The Biggest Loser 13
-54.35% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee)
-65.22% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. Glee)

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," 2.2/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's original "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/2 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research