nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, september 12, 2013)

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

FOX (6.785 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) snaked the top spot on Thursday thanks to night two of "The X Factor" (6.379 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) followed by a second hour of "The X Factor" (7.192 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2).

CBS (6.686 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.528 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), "CBS Fall Preview" (6.747 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5), "Big Brother 15" (7.455 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) and "Elementary" (4.967 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9).

Next up was ABC (5.056 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with a repeat of "Shark Tank" (5.117 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7) followed by a new "Wipeout" (4.321 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7) and the season finale of "Rookie Blue" (5.732 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.400 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up night four of "Million Second Quiz" (4.222 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) alongside repeats of "Hollywood Game Night" (3.115 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and another "Hollywood Game Night" (2.863 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.722 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.590 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) on The CW (0.656 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Top Model" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - Rookie Blue
+18.18% - Wipeout
+8.33% - Big Brother 15

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+133.33% - Rookie Blue (vs. Scandal (Repeat))
+85.71% - Wipeout (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
+30.00% - Big Brother 15
+13.33% - CBS Fall Preview (vs. Two and a Half Men (Repeat))
-30.30% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Glee)
-35.48% - The X Factor - 8:00
-54.17% - Million Second Quiz (vs. America's Got Talent)

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," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/3).

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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/13/12):

FOX (8.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top demo draw on Thursday with night two of "The X Factor" (8.41 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) premiere followed by the return of "Glee" (8.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

In what's becoming a familiar refrain this fall, both shows returned down from their previous openers on 9/22/11 (11.43 million viewers; adults 18-49: 3.9) and 9/20/11 (8.91 million viewers; adults 18-49: 3.8), respectively.

NBC (9.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the two-hour season finale of "America's Got Talent" (10.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) plus the season opener to "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (6.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Next up was CBS (5.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (5.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6), "Big Brother 14" (5.77 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) and "Person of Interest" (5.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up a new "Wipeout" (3.60 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) alongside repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (2.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and "Scandal" (2.45 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

And finally, The CW (0.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night with a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.03 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and a new "The Next" (0.71 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "The Vampire Diaries" delivered a 0.5 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - America's Got Talent
+16.67% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. 8/23/12)
-9.09% - Big Brother 14
-15.38% - Wipeout
-33.33% - The Next

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+244.44% - The X Factor (vs. Bones (Repeat))
+200.00% - Glee (vs. Bones (Repeat))
+140.00% - America's Got Talent (vs. Community (Repeat)/Up All Night (Repeat)/The Office (Repeat)/Free Agents (Repeat))
+75.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+33.33% - Big Brother 14 (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))
-50.00% - Wipeout
-84.62% - The Next (vs. The Secret Circle)

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," 2.5/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.8/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.6/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

·At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 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 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research