nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, june 20, 2013)

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

ABC (17.815 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night" (9.091 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3), "Kia NBA Countdown" (11.569 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2) and the "NBA Finals, Game 7" (21.557 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.7, #1).

FOX (3.712 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then was a distant second place with new episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.057 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) and "Does Someone Have to Go?" (2.368 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #7).

Next up was CBS (5.892 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with its repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.471 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (5.792 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "Person of Interest" (5.821 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T9) and "Elementary" (5.223 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (1.772 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) likewise offered up repeats of "Parks & Recreation" (2.280 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11), another "Parks & Recreation" (1.726 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11), "The Office" (1.416 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13), another "The Office" (1.367 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13) plus the season finale of "Hannibal" (1.922 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.054 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Beauty and the Beast" (0.681 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.2, #16) on The CW (0.867 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Kia NBA Countdown
+50.00% - NBA Finals, Game 7
+33.33% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night
0.00% - Does Someone Have to Go?
0.00% - Hannibal
-5.00% - Hell's Kitchen

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+58.33% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. Take Me Out)
+35.94% - NBA Finals, Game 7 (vs. NBA Finals, Game 5)
+33.33% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night
+28.57% - Kia NBA Countdown
-12.50% - Hannibal (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
-40.00% - Does Someone Have to Go? (vs. The Choice)

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/21/12):

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

ABC (12.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to its mix of "Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night" (6.75 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3), "NBA Countdown" (8.66 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and "NBA Finals, Game 5" (15.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1).

A distant second place then went to CBS (6.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4), "2 Broke Girls" (7.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5), "Person of Interest" (6.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7) and "The Mentalist" (6.20 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9).

Next up was FOX (3.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with week three of "Take Me Out" (3.15 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8) and "The Choice" (4.17 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) was out of the hunt despite its all-original mix of "Justin Bieber: All Around the World, Part 2" (3.10 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10), "Saving Hope" (2.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.78 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10).

And finally, a new "Breaking Pointe" (0.91 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.63 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Pointe" posted a 0.4 rating while "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night
+12.90% - NBA Countdown
+10.34% - NBA Finals, Game 5
+9.09% - Take Me Out
0.00% - The Choice
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
0.00% - Breaking Pointe
-11.11% - Justin Bieber: All Around the World (vs. 6/20/12)
-28.57% - Saving Hope

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+228.21% - NBA Finals, Game 5 (vs. Expedition Impossible/Rookie Blue)
+52.17% - NBA Countdown (vs. Wipeout)
+36.36% - The Choice (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+6.67% - Justin Bieber: All Around the World (vs. Community (Repeat)/30 Rock (Repeat))
+4.35% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night (vs. Wipeout)
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Love Bites)
0.00% - Breaking Pointe (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-36.84% - Take Me Out (vs. So You Think You Can Dance 8)
-47.37% - Saving Hope (vs. The Office (Repeat)/Parks & Recreation (Repeat))

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," 2.7/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," (delayed by NBA Basketball); and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," (delayed by NBA Basketball).

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," (delayed by NBA Basketball); and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," (delayed by NBA Basketball).

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3). 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research