nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, may 9, 2013)

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

CBS (12.094 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) pulled into the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.696 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), the season finales of "Two and a Half Men" (12.618 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) and "Person of Interest" (12.979 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6) plus a new "Elementary" (9.148 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10).

FOX (8.641 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T2) then had to settle for second place with a new "American Idol" (11.199 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5) and the season finale of "Glee" (6.083 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9).

Next up was ABC (7.270 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T2) with the return of "Wipeout" (4.325 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the penultimate weeks of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.599 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) and "Scandal" (8.887 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.279 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up the season finale of "Community" (3.141 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) followed by a repeat of "The Office" (2.399 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13), a new "The Office" (4.326 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8), a second "The Office" (4.490 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7) and "Hannibal" (2.660 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.155 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.293 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) closed out the night on The CW (1.724 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+29.41% - The Office - 9:00
+23.08% - Scandal
+21.05% - The Office - 9:30
+16.67% - Glee
+12.00% - American Idol
+10.00% - Hannibal
+9.68% - Two and a Half Men
+8.33% - Community
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast
-10.00% - Elementary

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Scandal
+35.29% - The Office - 9:30 (vs. Parks & Recreation)
+25.93% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+22.22% - Hannibal (vs. Awake)
+9.52% - The Big Bang Theory
+9.09% - Wipeout (vs. Missing)
+5.00% - Glee (vs. Touch)
0.00% - The Office - 9:00
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
-7.14% - Community
-7.69% - Person of Interest
-14.71% - Grey's Anatomy
-18.18% - The Vampire Diaries
-25.00% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-28.21% - 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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/7; 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," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/6 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 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) trailed 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" (0.4/3).

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

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/10/12):

FOX (11.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) escaped with the adults 18-49 crown on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (15.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) and "Touch" (6.94 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

CBS (12.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then was a close second place with the season finale of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) followed by new episodes of "Rules of Engagement" (8.85 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Person of Interest" (12.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) and "The Mentalist" (12.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

Next up was ABC (7.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with the penultimate weeks of "Missing" (6.36 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) - its lowest to date, "Grey's Anatomy" (9.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "Scandal" (6.48 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up originals of "Community" (3.12 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) and "30 Rock" (2.95 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11) followed by the respective season finales of "The Office" (4.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) and "Parks & Recreation" (3.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) as well as a new "Awake" (2.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

And finally, the season finales of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.49 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "The Secret Circle" (1.24 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.86 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 1.7 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.7 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - Awake
+7.14% - 30 Rock
+6.25% - Grey's Anatomy
+4.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Rules of Engagement
0.00% - The Mentalist
0.00% - Parks & Recreation
0.00% - Community
0.00% - Missing
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-4.35% - The Office
-4.76% - Touch
-4.76% - Scandal
-8.70% - The Big Bang Theory
-16.67% - The Secret Circle

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+31.25% - The Big Bang Theory
+25.00% - 30 Rock (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+17.39% - Rules of Engagement
+9.68% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - Community
-7.69% - The Mentalist
-13.04% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries
-28.57% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-29.17% - Parks & Recreation
-31.25% - The Office
-35.29% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
-37.10% - American Idol
-39.39% - Touch (vs. Bones)
-48.57% - Awake (vs. Parks & Recreation (S)/Outsourced)

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; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.8/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/6.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "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) 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 0.8/3 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