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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/18/14):

CBS (8.705 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.672 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) followed by new episodes of "Mom" (10.106 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1), "Two and a Half Men" (8.947 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3), "The McCarthys" (7.100 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and "Elementary" (7.703 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5).

NBC (3.710 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) then took home a distant second place with a new "The Biggest Loser" (3.787 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #6) and the inaugural "People Magazine Awards" (3.672 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Next up was FOX (3.684 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) with a repeat "Bones" (3.563 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7) and a second "Bones" (3.804 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.897 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) served up a new "The Taste" (3.071 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7) and a repeat "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.549 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

And finally, The CW (1.650 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) offered up its annual "iHeartRadio Jingle Ball" (1.838 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) and a repeat of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.084 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.6 rating and the latter posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Taste
-11.11% - The McCarthys
-12.50% - Elementary
-17.86% - Mom
-18.18% - The Biggest Loser
-24.00% - Two and a Half Men

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+160.87% - iHeartRadio Jingle Ball (vs. Various)
+55.56% - Elementary (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
+46.15% - Two and a Half Men (vs. The Crazy Ones (Repeat))
+35.29% - Mom (vs. The Millers (Repeat))
23.08% - The McCarthys (vs. Two and a Half Men (Repeat))
-25.00% - The Biggest Loser (vs. The Sing-Off)
-48.39% - The Taste (vs. A Charlie Brown Christmas (Repeat)/20/20: The Year)
-52.94% - People Magazine Awards (vs. Saturday Night Live Christmas (Repeat))

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; 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 Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; 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" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). 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 and a 0.3/2 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 (12/19/13):

FOX (6.204 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) led the demo charge on Thursday with part of one of "The X Factor" (5.787 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6) finale followed by part of "The X Factor" (6.621 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) finale.

CBS (6.877 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) however was still the top draw overall with its repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (11.128 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1), "The Millers" (7.569 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3), "The Crazy Ones" (5.688 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8), "Two and a Half Men" (5.617 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8) and "Elementary" (5.630 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11).

Next up was ABC (5.942 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) with an encore of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (6.496 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) alongside the two-hour special "20/20: The Year" (5.666 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.358 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) served up the penultimate "The Sing-Off" (4.437 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10) followed by a rebroadcast of "Saturday Night Live Christmas" (4.319 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.804 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) and "Reign" (0.918 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) on The CW (0.861 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 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - The X Factor
-14.29% - The Sing-Off

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-6.67% - 20/20: The Year (vs. CMA Country Christmas)
-25.00% - The Sing-Off (vs. A White House Christmas: First Families Remember)
-45.45% - The X Factor - 9:00
-46.43% - The X Factor - 8:00

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," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.4/6.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore telecast) beat CBS's first-run "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 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research