nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, april 25, 2013)

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

CBS (11.876 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) kicked off the May sweeps period on top with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (14.381 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (11.027 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T2), "Person of Interest" (12.990 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6) and "Elementary" (9.935 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7).

FOX (8.172 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) then claimed the number two spot with new episodes of "American Idol" (11.104 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4) and "Glee" (5.239 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8).

Next up was ABC (6.433 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) with its combination of "Wife Swap" (3.418 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), "Grey's Anatomy" (8.122 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4) and "Scandal" (7.760 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T2).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.452 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up a new "Community" (2.399 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) followed by a repeat of "The Office" (1.837 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T14) and fresh installments of "The Office" (3.133 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9), "Parks & Recreation" (2.541 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10) and "Hannibal" (2.401 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.150 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T14) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.291 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.720 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed 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 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+3.70% - Scandal (vs. 4/4/13)
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 4/4/13)
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-4.76% - Elementary (vs. 4/4/13)
-6.90% - American Idol
-10.53% - The Office (vs. 4/11/13)
-11.11% - Person of Interest (vs. 4/4/13)
-14.29% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 4/4/13)
-16.67% - Beauty and the Beast
-18.18% - Glee
-23.08% - Community
-23.53% - Parks & Recreation
-26.32% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 4/4/13)
-26.67% - Wife Swap
-28.57% - Hannibal

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Scandal
+25.00% - Hannibal (vs. Awake)
+12.00% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+5.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-4.76% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-5.26% - Glee (vs. Touch)
-10.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.38% - Wife Swap (vs. Missing)
-15.63% - Grey's Anatomy
-18.75% - Parks & Recreation
-19.05% - The Office
-28.57% - Community
-30.77% - 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," 2.3/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/6.

* 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," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/26/12):

FOX (10.46 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) won the demo crown on the first night of the May sweeps period thanks to a new "American Idol" (14.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) followed by a new "Touch" (6.48 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9) - a series low.

CBS (11.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then was the most-watched network with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (12.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) - its season low, "Rules of Engagement" (8.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4), "Person of Interest" (12.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) - its series low - and "The Mentalist" (11.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) - its Thursday series low.

Next up was ABC (7.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) and its original lineup of "Missing" (6.90 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) - its lowest-rated telecast to date, "Grey's Anatomy" (9.27 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) and "Scandal" (6.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.10 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Community" (3.29 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), "30 Rock" (3.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10), "The Office" (4.15 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) - its series low, "Parks & Recreation" (3.21 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10) - its series low - and "Awake" (2.19 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) - its lowest-rated telecast to date.

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.23 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) and "The Secret Circle" (1.19 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.8 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.64% - Rules of Engagement
+7.69% - Community
6.67% - 30 Rock
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Missing
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Awake
0.00% - The Secret Circle
-4.55% - The Office
-4.76% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 4/5/12)
-9.52% - Touch
-11.11% - Parks & Recreation
-12.50% - The Mentalist (vs. 4/5/12)
-17.24% - Person of Interest (vs. 4/5/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+8.70% - Rules of Engagement
+6.67% - 30 Rock (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+4.35% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - Missing (vs. 20/20: The Royal Wedding - A Modern Fairytale)
-4.55% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-6.67% - Community
-8.57% - Grey's Anatomy
-16.67% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-19.23% - The Mentalist
-29.09% - American Idol
-32.14% - Touch (vs. Bones)
-48.78% - The Office
-60.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. The Office/Parks & Recreation)
-61.90% - Awake (vs. Parks & Recreation (S)/30 Rock)

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," 2.3/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "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 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research