nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, march 30, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (23.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.5, #1) made short work of the competition thanks to a new two-hour "American Idol" (23.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.5, #1).

CBS (10.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then won the war for the leftovers with its mix of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3), "Criminal Minds" (12.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (9.34 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5).

Next up was NBC (5.37 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) and its mix of "Minute to Win It" (4.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.58 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (5.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T7), another "The Middle" (5.00 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T7), "Modern Family" (5.39 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6) followed by new episodes of "Mr. Sunshine" (4.08 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9) and "Off the Map" (4.17 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

And finally, fresh installments of "America's Next Top Model" (2.15 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and "Shedding for the Wedding" (0.98 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (4.50%), Shedding for the Wedding (0.00%), American Idol (-2.60%), Survivor: Redemption Island (-3.30%), Criminal Minds (-5.60% vs. 3/16/11), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (-7.70%), Minute to Win It (-8.30%), America's Next Top Model (-10.00%), Off the Map (-13.30%), Mr. Sunshine (-36.40%).

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," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/31/10):

FOX (14.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1) was once again on top on Wednesday thanks to new episodes of "Human Target" (8.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5) and "American Idol" (19.96 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.5, #1).

ABC (5.77 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then snagged the silver with its mix of "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" (4.94 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10), "The Middle" (6.21 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6), "Modern Family" (9.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "Cougar Town" (5.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) and "Ugly Betty" (4.06 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10).

Next up was NBC (7.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with repeats of "Minute to Win It" (6.29 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) and a new "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (4.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #15), "Accidentally on Purpose" (4.36 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10), "Criminal Minds" (7.86 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T7) and "CSI: NY" (7.22 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (3.22 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10), "Fly Girls" (1.17 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and "High Society" (0.86 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.3, #17) on The CW (2.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research