nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, january 18, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (16.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top dog on Tuesday with its original combination of "NCIS" (20.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (17.28 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "The Good Wife" (11.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4).

NBC (7.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "The Biggest Loser" (8.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and "Parenthood" (5.63 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T4).

Next up was ABC (5.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) and its lineup of "No Ordinary Family" (5.71 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8), "V" (5.65 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6) and a special "20/20" (6.18 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.84 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) offered up a repeat of "Glee" (4.41 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9) and the penultimate week of "Million Dollar Money Drop" (5.27 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7).

And finally, a new "Life Unexpected" (1.81 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) led into the series finale of "Life Unexpected" (1.69 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) on The CW (1.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): No Ordinary Family (20.00%), Million Dollar Money Drop (5.60%), V (5.30%), Parenthood (-4.50%), The Good Wife (-8.70%), NCIS (-8.90%), NCIS: Los Angeles (-10.80%), Life Unexpected (-11.10% vs. 12/7/10), The Biggest Loser (-12.50%).

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.3/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.9/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/19/10):

FOX (17.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.7, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday thanks to a new "American Idol" (26.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.9, #1) and a rebroadcast of "Human Target" (9.17 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3). Not surprisingly, the post-"Idol" encore drew more adults 18-49 than its original broadcast on Sunday (10.09 million viewers; adults 18-49: 2.9).

Second place then went to NBC (8.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) with new episodes of "The Biggest Loser" (9.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) and "The Jay Leno Show" (6.30 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6).

Next up was CBS (11.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (14.06 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (12.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #5) and "The Good Wife" (9.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up repeats of "Scrubs" (2.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and "Better Off Ted" (2.00 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) followed by new episodes of "Scrubs" (3.33 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) and "Better Off Ted" (3.24 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9) as well as a repeat of "The Forgotten" (3.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

And finally, repeast of "90210" (0.84 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Melrose Place" (0.65 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research