Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/4/14):

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

NBC (22.505 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.4, #1) was of course the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "NFL Kickoff 2014" (16.758 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 5.7, #3), "Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick" (24.672 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.8, #2) and "Sunday Night Football" (23.400 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 9.0, #1).

CBS (5.664 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then was a distant second place with repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.202 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5) and "The Millers" (5.861 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6) followed by a new "Big Brother 16" (6.358 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) and a repeat "Elementary" (3.602 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #7).

Next up was FOX (2.160 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with repeats of "Sleepy Hollow" (1.635 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #10) and "Bones" (2.686 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (1.891 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) served up a new "The Quest" (1.877 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11), a second "The Quest" (1.239 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and a repeat "Shark Tank" (2.558 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.522 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) and "The Originals" (0.490 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) closed out the evening over on The CW (0.506 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Originals" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

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

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.9/10, delayed by an NFL overrun; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.3/8, delayed by an NFL overrun; "Late Show," 0.3/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 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 Seth Meyers" (1.5/6 in metered-market households, delayed by an NFL overrun) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/6 in 18-49, delayed by an NFL overrun) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/5 in metered-market households with an encore delayed by an NFL overrun and a 0.5/5 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/5/13):

NBC (23.190 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.2, #1) devoured the competition on Thursday with its coverage of "NFL Kickoff 2013" (15.049 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.6, #4), "Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick" (20.712 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 8.1, #3), "Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick/Sunday Night Football" (26.173 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 10.2, #2) and "Sunday Night Football" (25.736 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 10.5, #1).

Said prime average - despite a half-hour plus rain delay - was actually up from last year's Wednesday opener (20.57 million viewers; adults 18-49: 8.2 on 9/5/12).

CBS (5.891 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.263 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6), "Two and a Half Men" (6.258 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7), "Big Brother 15" (7.066 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and "Elementary" (3.847 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10).

Next up was ABC (3.759 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with a special two-hour "Wipeout" (3.532 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8) followed by a new "Rookie Blue" (4.214 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.606 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up its departing Thursday lineup of "Glee" (1.787 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11), "New Girl" (1.411 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and "The Mindy Project" (1.438 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12).

And finally, encores of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.772 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.583 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.677 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 0.3 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):
-7.69% - Big Brother 15
-15.38% - Wipeout
-33.33% - Rookie Blue

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+400.00% - Sunday Night Football (vs. NBC News Special)
+385.71% - Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick/Sunday Night Football (vs. NBC News Special)
+350.00% - Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick (vs. America's Got Talent)
+211.11% - NFL Kickoff 2013 (vs. America's Got Talent)
+9.09% - Big Brother 15 (vs. Big Brother 14)
0.00% - Rookie Blue (vs. ABC News Special)
-12.00% - Wipeout (vs. Wipeout/Rookie Blue)

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," 2.6/11 (delayed by NFL overrun); CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.2/10 (delayed by NFL overrun); "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/1 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" results are unavailable due to a delay for an NFL overrun. CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters.

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" results are unavailable due to a delay for an NFL overrun.

Source: Nielsen Media Research