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

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (7/22/15):

NBC (5.920 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with a best of edition from "America's Got Talent" (5.664 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) followed by the two-hour season premiere of "Last Comic Standing" (6.048 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2).

CBS (5.023 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T2) then took home the silver with its lineup of "Big Brother 17" (5.754 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and the relocated "Extant" (4.342 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) and "Criminal Minds" (4.972 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10).

Next up was FOX (3.687 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T2) with a new "MasterChef" (4.442 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) alongside the premiere of "Home Free" (2.932 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.933 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up its marathon lineup of "Black-ish" (3.160 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), another "Black-ish" (2.875 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), yet "Black-ish" (3.023 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and even "Black-ish" (3.152 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) plus "Modern Family" (2.696 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and a second "Modern Family" (2.689 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (0.993 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) and "Supernatural" (0.746 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) on The CW (0.869 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.2 rating while the latter posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Extant
0.00% - MasterChef
-5.26% - Big Brother 17

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - MasterChef (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-11.76% - Last Comic Standing (vs. America's Got Talent/Taxi Brooklyn)
-18.18% - Home Free (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-21.74% - Big Brother 17
-36.36% - Extant

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," 2.8/7; "CBS Summer Showcase," 1.9/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "CBS Summer Showcase," 0.3/1 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 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 Seth Meyers" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 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 (7/23/14):

NBC (8.633 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) pulled back in front on Wednesday thanks to originals from "America's Got Talent" (10.130 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) and "Taxi Brooklyn" (5.639 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3).

CBS (6.002 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then had to settle for second place with its mix of "Big Brother 16" (6.589 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1), "Extant" (6.427 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and "Criminal Minds" (4.990 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7).

Next up was FOX (3.759 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with its mainstay "So You Think You Can Dance" (3.759 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.469 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (3.977 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7), "The Goldbergs" (3.354 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10), "Modern Family" (3.555 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), another "The Middle" (3.119 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) and a new "Motive" (3.406 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

And finally, second runs of "Arrow" (0.910 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "The 100" (0.531 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.721 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.2 rating while the latter posted a 0.1 rating.

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research