nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 29, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (5.434 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) was the demo king on Wednesday thanks to a new "MasterChef" (5.098 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) and a second "MasterChef" (5.770 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

NBC (6.475 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) however was the most-watched network with its mix of "Dateline NBC" (7.091 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4), "Healing in the Heartland" (8.564 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) and a repeat of "Chicago Fire" (3.769 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13).

Next up was ABC (4.123 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) and its mix of "The Middle" (4.319 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), "Family Tools" (3.633 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), "Modern Family" (4.638 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5), "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (4.014 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6) and the premiere of "The Lookout" (4.066 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.730 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up the launch of "The American Baking Competition" (5.014 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (5.206 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.971 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (1.476 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "Supernatural" (1.105 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (1.290 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Dateline NBC
+9.09% - MasterChef - 9:00
0.00% - MasterChef - 8:00
-16.67% - Family Tools (vs. 5/15/13)
-40.91% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+90.00% - Healing in the Heartland (vs. NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1)
+60.00% - Dateline NBC (vs. NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1)
+18.18% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Happy Endings (Repeat))
0.00% - The Lookout (vs. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (Repeat)/Modern Family (Repeat))
-7.69% - MasterChef (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-16.67% - Family Tools (vs. Suburgatory (Repeat))
-23.08% - MasterChef (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-23.08% - The American Baking Competition (vs. Dogs in the City)

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 "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5 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 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3 with an encore.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 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 with an encore) tied CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 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 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/30/12):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for NBC are approximate.]

FOX (6.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with the time period premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1).

The silver then went to CBS (6.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) with the debut of "Dogs in the City" (6.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (5.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

Next up was ABC (3.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (5.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4), "Suburgatory" (3.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "Modern Family" (4.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2), "Happy Endings" (2.81 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (2.73 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and another "Modern Family" (2.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) was out of the hunt with its coverage of the "NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1" (2.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.93 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) led into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (1.37 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.9 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
+13.04% - Dogs in the City (vs. Mike & Molly (Repeat)/Rules of Engagement (Repeat))
-13.33% - So You Think You Can Dance
-44.44% - NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1

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," 1.7/5 with an encore telecast delayed by hockey; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.5/3 with an encore delayed by hockey; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore delayed by hockey) trailed CBS's first-run on-time "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore delayed by hockey) tied "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 with an encore delayed by hockey in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research