nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 8, 2013)

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

FOX (10.827 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) was still the network to beat on Wednesday with a new two-hour "American Idol" (10.827 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2). In the 8:00/7:00c hour, "The Voice" (2.7) however edged out "Idol" (2.5) in adults 18-49.

CBS (9.662 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then claimed the silver with the penultimate "Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites" (9.330 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T4) followed by new episodes of "Criminal Minds" (9.923 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T4) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.733 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6).

Next up was NBC (7.529 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with a special "The Voice" (8.733 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) alongside originals from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.965 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8) and "Chicago Fire" (6.890 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9).

Meanwhile, ABC (6.132 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) served up its lineup of "The Middle" (6.699 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9), "Family Tools" (4.432 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Modern Family" (8.843 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1), "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (5.987 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7) and "Nashville" (5.416 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "Arrow" (2.564 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Supernatural" (2.111 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) on The CW (2.338 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+68.75% - The Voice
+26.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+22.22% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
+8.70% - Criminal Minds
+8.70% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
+5.88% - Chicago Fire
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Arrow
0.00% - Supernatural
-5.88% - Nashville
-9.09% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
-10.00% - The Middle
-11.43% - Modern Family
-26.67% - Family Tools

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+200.00% - Arrow (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
+137.50% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+125.00% - Supernatural (vs. America's Next Top Model)
+74.19% - The Voice (vs. Betty White's Off Their Rockers/Betty White's Off Their Rockers)
+5.88% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-5.26% - The Middle
-7.41% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
-8.33% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-10.71% - Criminal Minds
-13.04% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23)
-27.27% - Nashville (vs. Revenge)
-27.91% - Modern Family
-36.36% - American Idol
-47.62% - Family Tools (vs. Suburgatory)

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," 2.5/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

* 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," 0.7/3.

* 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" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat 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 0.8/4 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 (5/9/12):

FOX (16.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1) continued its reign on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (16.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1).

CBS (10.60 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "Survivor: One World" (9.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Criminal Minds" (11.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) - tied as its series low - and the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) - its lowest-rated season finale ever.

Next up was ABC (7.11 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and its original lineup of "The Middle" (6.56 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9) - a season low, "Suburgatory" (5.99 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8), "Modern Family" (10.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (5.80 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) and "Revenge" (6.97 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.58 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12), a second "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.40 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.65 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.72 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10).

And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (0.92 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.05 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (0.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.38% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:00
+14.29% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:30
+8.00% - Survivor: One World
+7.50% - Modern Family
+5.00% - Suburgatory
+4.76% - Revenge
+4.35% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
0.00% - America's Next Top Model
-4.17% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
-4.35% - American Idol
-5.00% - The Middle
-5.56% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-6.67% - Criminal Minds
-20.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+77.78% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:30 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+66.67% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:00 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+41.94% - Revenge (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Happy Endings (10:30))
+14.29% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
+10.53% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+2.38% - Modern Family
-4.17% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
-9.52% - The Middle
-10.00% - Survivor: One World
-15.15% - Criminal Minds
-23.88% - American Idol (vs. American Idol 10/Breaking In)
-27.27% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
-29.17% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-60.00% - America's Next Top Model

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

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

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 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 1.0/4 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