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

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

CBS (13.371 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.709 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) - tying its season low, "Two and a Half Men" (12.396 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) - its series low, "Person of Interest" (14.572 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) and "Elementary" (11.489 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

FOX (8.544 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "American Idol" (11.628 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Glee" (5.460 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7).

Next up was ABC (5.632 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) as repeats of "Shark Tank" (4.605 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10) and "Scandal" (4.277 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11) bookended a new "Grey's Anatomy" (8.015 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5), which fell to its series low.

Meanwhile, NBC (3.150 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) was out of the hunt despite new episodes of "Community" (2.607 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) - its series low, "Parks & Recreation" (3.010 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9), "The Office" (3.551 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8) - tying its series low - and "1600 Penn" (2.290 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) plus a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.722 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

And finally, the return of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.487 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.544 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) originals on The CW (2.015 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.08% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 2/21/13)
+11.11% - 1600 Penn
+4.35% - Elementary (vs. 2/21/13)
+3.57% - Person of Interest
-9.52% - The Office (vs. 2/14/13)
-13.33% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 2/21/13)
-14.29% - American Idol
-15.38% - Two and a Half Men
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 2/21/13)
-16.67% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. 2/21/13)
-16.67% - The Big Bang Theory
-20.00% - Glee
-33.33% - Community

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+150.00% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. VCU)
+83.33% - Two and a Half Men (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. VCU)
+75.76% - Person of Interest (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. VCU/Update)
+60.00% - Elementary (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana vs. New Mexico State)
-8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-9.09% - Glee (vs. Touch (Repeat))
-13.33% - Grey's Anatomy
-17.39% - The Office
-20.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
-28.57% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-33.33% - American Idol
-41.18% - 1600 Penn (vs. Up All Night)
-54.55% - Community

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 "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5 with an encore.

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

* 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" (1.3/5 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" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore 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 (3/15/12):

FOX (12.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) held onto the top spot on Thursday with a new "American Idol" (15.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) followed by a rebroadcast of the "Touch" (8.67 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) premiere.

ABC (9.08 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then claimed the silver with the debut of "Missing" (10.56 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7) alongside new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (9.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) - a series low - and "Private Practice" (7.01 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) - tied as its season low.

Next up was NBC (4.59 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with the return of "Community" (4.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) - a season high - followed by the relocated "30 Rock" (4.05 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7) - also a season high - and new episodes of "The Office" (4.88 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) - tied as its series low, "Up All Night" (3.63 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and "Awake" (5.05 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11).

Meanwhile, CBS (4.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its mix of "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. VCU" (5.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.40 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana vs. New Mexico State" (4.24 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.62 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (1.62 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (2.12 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.9 rating while "Circle" delivered a 1.0 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+46.67% - Community (vs. 12/8/11)
+42.86% - 30 Rock
0.00% - Private Practice (vs. 2/23/12)
0.00% - Up All Night
0.00% - Awake
-3.23% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 2/23/12)
-6.25% - American Idol
-7.69% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 2/16/12)
-11.54% - The Office
-12.50% - The Secret Circle (vs. 2/16/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+140.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+100.00% - Private Practice (vs. Off the Map (Repeat))
+66.67% - 30 Rock (vs. Perfect Couples)
+57.89% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Private Practice (S))
+53.33% - The Office (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+40.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+29.41% - Community
+5.88% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wichita State vs. VCU (vs. BYU/Wofford)
+3.23% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced)
0.00% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
0.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana vs. New Mexico State (vs. St. John's/Gonzaga)
-5.56% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-6.25% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
-19.64% - 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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.0/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.7/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 with an encore 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