nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, april 5, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (13.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday as new episodes of "NCIS" (18.79 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) and "The Good Wife" (10.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6) bookended a repeat of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (12.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T3).

NBC (6.45 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "The Biggest Loser" (7.31 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T3) and "Parenthood" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7).

Meanwhile, ABC (10.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) offered up the season finale of "No Ordinary Family" (5.69 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #8) followed by new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (15.57 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and "Body of Proof" (11.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5).

Next up was FOX (3.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) with encores of "Glee" (3.87 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9), "Raising Hope" (2.99 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) and "Traffic Light" (2.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.76 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12) and "Hellcats" (0.67 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12) on The CW (0.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Good Wife (5.30%), The Biggest Loser (3.80%), Parenthood (0.00%), No Ordinary Family (0.00% vs. 3/22/11), NCIS (-5.30%), Body of Proof (-20.00%), Dancing With the Stars (-26.20%).

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.7/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/6.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) trailed 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 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/6/10):

Another two-hour edition "American Idol" (20.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1) had no trouble putting FOX (20.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1) on top on Tuesday.

The silver then went to CBS (13.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2) with new episodes of "NCIS" (16.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3, "NCIS: Los Angeles" (13.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T4) and "The Good Wife" (12.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8).

Next up was ABC (9.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2) with fresh installments of "Dancing With the Stars" (12.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T8), "Lost" (9.45 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) and "V" (6.02 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4) offered up new episodes of "The Biggest Loser" (7.57 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T4) and "Parenthood" (6.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6).

And finally, a new "90210" (1.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10) lead into the penultimate week of "Melrose Place" (1.05 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #11) on The CW (1.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research