nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, september 19, 2013)

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

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL pre-emptions, Fast Nationals for ABC and NBC will be inflated.]

CBS (6.720 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday despite an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.843 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (7.029 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5), a second hour of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.913 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) and "Two and a Half Men" (6.597 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) plus "Elementary" (4.969 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

FOX (4.458 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then took home second place with a new "The X Factor" (6.070 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) alongside rebroadcasts of "Dads" (3.021 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (2.673 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

Next up was NBC (5.068 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) with the two-hour season finale of "Million Second Quiz" (5.422 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) followed by the special "Valerie's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special" (4.361 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.518 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) offered up the season finale of "Wipeout" (4.415 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) plus repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (5.064 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "Scandal" (4.075 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.816 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.558 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.687 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 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Top Model" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Million Second Quiz
-5.00% - The X Factor
-7.69% - Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-9.09% - Valerie's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
-14.29% - Wipeout
-16.67% - Million Second Quiz (vs. SNL Weekend Update Thursday/Up All Night/The Office/Parks & Recreation)
-44.12% - The X Factor

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," 1.9/5 with an encore; 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," 0.7/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, 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" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· 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 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/20/12):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local market NFL preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC and The CW are approximate.]

FOX (8.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) claimed top honors on Thursday with week two of "The X Factor" (9.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) and "Glee" (7.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2).

CBS (7.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) then claimed the silver despite an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5), another "The Big Bang Theory" (9.20 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (7.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6), another "Two and a Half Men" (6.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "Person of Interest" (6.59 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11).

Next up was NBC (4.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with the return of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" (5.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9), "Up All Night" (3.14 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11), "The Office" (4.32 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4), "Parks & Recreation" (3.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.05 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14). All save for "SNL" posted huge year-to-year declines (see below for specifics).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up the season finale of "Wipeout" (4.35 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10) followed by repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.18 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11) and "Scandal" (3.42 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15).

And finally, a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.19 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.5, #17) and an original "The Next" (1.47 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (1.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "The Vampire Diaries" delivered a 0.5 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
200.00% - The Next
27.27% - Wipeout
9.68% - The X Factor
-12.12% - Glee
-21.43% - Rock Center With Brian Williams

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-5.88% - Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (vs. Community)
-12.82% - The X Factor (vs. The X Factor)
-33.33% - The Next (vs. The Secret Circle)
-33.33% - Wipeout (vs. Charlie's Angels)
-34.09% - Glee (vs. The X Factor)
-35.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-38.89% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Prime Suspect)
-46.15% - The Office (vs. The Office)
-46.88% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Whitney)

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," 2.2/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/7; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

·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" (1.1/4). 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 0.8/3 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