nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, june 8, 2011)

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

NBC (9.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T1) and FOX (7.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T1) shared the demo crown on Wednesday as the latter offered up another two-hour "So You Think You Can Dance" (7.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2).

The Peacock then offered up its mix of "Minute to Win It" (4.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5) and a two-hour "America's Got Talent" (12.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1).

Next up was ABC (4.11 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (4.52 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), another "The Middle" (4.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6), "Modern Family" (4.40 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4), another "Modern Family" (4.37 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and the new special "20/20: Reality Bites, Reality Pay$s -- Reality TV in America" (3.56 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) was out of the hunt with repeats of "Undercover Boss" (4.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), "Criminal Minds" (5.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and "Blue Bloods" (6.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10).

And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (1.08 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and another "America's Next Top Model" (0.95 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) on The CW (1.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Minute to Win It (30.00% vs. 5/25/11), So You Think You Can Dance (-6.70%).

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," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). 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 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.5/4 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 (6/9/10):

FOX (8.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) squeezed out another victory on Wednesday thanks to full hours of "So You Think You Can Dance" (8.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) and another "So You Think You Can Dance" (8.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1).

A competitive second place then went to NBC (7.57 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) with its coverage of the "Stanley Cup Finals, Game 6" (7.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3).

Next up was CBS (7.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (4.18 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Rules of Engagement" (4.40 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8), "Criminal Minds" (8.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) and "CSI: NY" (8.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) had its mix of "The Middle" (4.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), another "The Middle" (4.52 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7), "Modern Family" (4.98 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6), "Cougar Town" (3.63 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and a new "Happy Town" (2.58 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.30 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and another "America's Next Top Model" (1.08 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research