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 (3/24/16):

CBS (6.277 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) claimed the demo prize on Thursday with its coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (6.112 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (6.231 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2) and more "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (6.548 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1).

FOX (7.956 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then was the number two draw with a new "American Idol" (7.728 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and second "American Idol" (8.184 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4).

Next up was ABC (6.616 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with originals from "Grey's Anatomy" (7.850 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2) and "Scandal" (6.195 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) plus the premiere of "The Catch" (5.804 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.571 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up a new "You, Me and the Apocalypse" (2.699 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10), a repeat "The Blacklist" (2.965 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and a new "Shades of Blue" (5.048 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9).

And finally, repeats of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (1.235 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and "The 100" (0.834 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) on The CW (1.034 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+5.88% - American Idol - 9:00
0.00% - American Idol - 8:00
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Shades of Blue
0.00% - You, Me and the Apocalypse
-4.76% - Grey's Anatomy

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - American Idol - 9:00 (vs. Backstrom)
+42.86% - Shades of Blue (vs. The Slap)
+23.08% - American Idol (vs. Bones)
+5.26% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
0.00% - The Catch (vs. American Crime)
-9.09% - Grey's Anatomy
-10.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - 8:00
-30.43% - Scandal
-36.36% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - 10:00
-40.00% - You, Me and the Apocalypse (vs. Dateline NBC)

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," 2.7/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.0/3, with an encore delayed by an NCAA overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.5/6.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.4/3, with an encore delayed by an NCAA overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 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) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (0.7/3 with an encore delayed by an NCAA overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2 with an encore delayed by an NCAA overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 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 (3/26/15):

CBS (7.790 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its second week of "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (7.114 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) coverage followed by "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (6.130 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5) and more "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (9.634 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

ABC (7.251 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with its trio of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.162 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), "Scandal" (8.052 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and "American Crime" (5.539 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Next up was NBC (5.897 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and its combination of "Dateline NBC" (6.275 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9), "The Blacklist" (7.988 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) and "The Slap" (3.429 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.693 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) served up the return of "Bones" (5.748 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7) and "Backstrom" (3.638 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.689 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "The Flash" (0.679 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.684 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Flash" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - Bones (vs. 12/11/14)
+4.76% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - American Crime
0.00% - The Slap
-4.17% - Scandal
-10.00% - Backstrom (vs. 3/5/15)
-11.11% - The Blacklist
-16.67% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+144.44% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland)
+45.45% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night (Repeat))
-8.00% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-16.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. Hollywood Game Night (Repeat))
-27.78% - Bones (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-43.75% - Backstrom (vs. American Idol/Surviving Jack)
-50.00% - The Slap (vs. Parenthood)
-61.29% - American Crime (vs. Scandal)

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.2/4 with an encore delayed by basketball; 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 Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.1/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden " (0.8/4 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show with James Corden" (0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research