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 (12/30/14):

CBS (9.532 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with a repeat of "NCIS" (10.204 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1) followed by its annual presentation of "The Kennedy Center Honors" (9.197 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1).

The silver then went to NBC (3.545 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) with its marathon lineup of "Chicago Fire" (3.233 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7), another "Chicago Fire" (3.685 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4) and yet another "Chicago Fire" (3.718 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3).

Next up was ABC (3.441 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its own batch of "Forever" (3.447 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7), another "Forever" (3.461 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7) and yet another "Forever" (3.415 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.617 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up repeats of "New Girl" (1.943 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4), "The Mindy Project" (1.569 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7), another "New Girl" (1.545 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7) and another "The Mindy Project" (1.411 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13).

And finally, second runs of "The Flash" (1.837 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7) and "Supernatural" (1.273 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.555 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "The Flash" posted a 0.4 rating while "Supernatural" delivered a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
N/A

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - The Kennedy Center Honors (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles/Person of Interest (Repeats))

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," 2.2/5 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/4 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.1/3 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/2 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1 with an encore).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/31/13):

ABC (9.064 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) closed out 2013 on top with its presentation of "New Year's Rockin' Eve Presents the 30 Greatest Women in Music" (7.545 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) followed by "Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2014" (12.100 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1).

NBC (5.952 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then had to settle for second place with its telecasts of "A Toast to 2013!" (6.040 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly 2013" (5.776 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3).

Next up was CBS (6.279 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (8.021 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (6.256 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #6) and "Person of Interest" (4.561 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9).

Meanwhile, The CW (1.367 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) served up a rebroadcast of "iHeart Radio Music Festival, Night 2" (1.367 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the special posted a 0.7 rating.

And finally, FOX (1.237 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night with second runs of "Dads" (1.747 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T7), "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.336 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9), "New Girl" (0.983 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) and "The Mindy Project" (0.882 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12).

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+640.00% - Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2014 (vs. Nashville (Repeat))
+94.44% - New Year's Rockin' Eve Presents the 30 Greatest Women in Music (vs. Shark Tank/Happy Endings/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (Repeats))
+5.88% - NBCs New Year's Eve with Carson Daly 2013 (vs. Parenthood)
+3.23% - A Toast to 2013! (vs. Betty White's Off Their Rockers (Repeats))

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

·From 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" (5.2 rating, 11 share in metered-market households) is up 6 percent versus last year's 4.9/11, to match the annual special's highest rating ever in its nine years on the air. The only other year "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" was able to match last night's 5.2 was four years ago on Dec. 31, 2009. Versus two years ago, last night's rating is up 21% (5.2/11 vs. 4.3/10 on Dec. 31, 2011).

·"NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" was the only 11 or 11:30 telecast on ABC, NBC or Fox to grow versus last year. Other late-night averages last night in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen included: Fox's "New Year's Eve Live," 2.6/6 in metered-market households from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m., down 7% vs. last year's 2.8/6; and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2013" on ABC, 10.1/24 from 11:30 p.m.-1:15 a.m., down 5% vs. last year's 10.6/25.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" (3.1 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49) is up 11 percent versus last year's 2.8/10) to hit a four-year high (best since 2009, 3.4). It's the second highest Local People Meter rating to date for the annual special in its nine years on the air (2005-2013). Versus two years ago, "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" is up 19% in the Local People Meters (3.1/11 vs. 2.6/9 on Dec. 31, 2011). Other Local People Meter results last night were a 2.1/8 for Fox's "New Year's Eve Live," up 5% vs. last year's 2.0/7; and 7.1/28 for ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2013," down 8% vs. last year's 7.7/29.

·National results for the December 31 late-night programs, including viewer numbers, are due from Nielsen Media Research on Thursday, Jan. 9.

Source: Nielsen Media Research