nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, december 29, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (5.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) snagged top demo honors on Wednesday with its mix of "The Middle" (6.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4), "Better With You" (5.22 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6), "Modern Family" (6.13 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2), "Modern Family" (6.08 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1), "Cougar Town" (3.68 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and "Cougar Town" (2.82 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

CBS (7.58 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) however took a close second place with repeats of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (6.94 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9), "Criminal Minds" (9.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T2) and "The Defenders" (6.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

Next up was NBC (5.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a new "Undercovers" (4.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) followed by repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.52 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and another "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.87 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up second runs of "Human Target" (3.94 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and another "Human Target" (3.79 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13).

And finally, The CW (1.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) did the same with "Hellcats" (1.51 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15) and another "Hellcats" (1.19 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Undercovers (-18.20%).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.0/7) took top honors over ABC's "Nightline" (2.7/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.6/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.2/4) on ABC, "Ferguson" (1.3/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.4/4) and "Daly" (0.9/3) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/30/09):

CBS (9.23 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) claimed top honors on the penultimate night of 2009 thanks to repeats of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (6.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3), "Gary Unmarried" (5.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5), "Criminal Minds" (11.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) and "CSI: NY" (10.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2).

A distant silver then went to NBC (3.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with its mix of "The Office" (3.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), another "The Office" (3.36 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), yet another "The Office" (3.19 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), even more "The Office" (3.53 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and "The Jay Leno Show" (4.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11).

Next up was ABC (4.06 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) with its combination of "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" (5.24 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), "The Middle" (4.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14), "Modern Family" (4.46 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), "Cougar Town" (3.82 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11) and the departing "Eastwick" (3.26 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15).

Meanwhile, repeats of "Glee" (3.40 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T15) and another "Glee" (3.59 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11) put FOX (3.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) in fourth.

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (1.17 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.5, #17) and "Gossip Girl" (0.83 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.4, #18) on The CW (1.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research