nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, july 12, 2011)

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

NBC (11.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) held off the competition on Tuesday with a repeat of "America's Got Talent" (7.10 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4) and a new two-hour "America's Got Talent" (13.75 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1).

FOX (10.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then took a close second with its coverage of the "MLB All-Star Game" (10.23 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2). Leading off the evening was the "MLB All-Star Game Pre-Game" (8.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3).

Next up was ABC (4.55 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with a repeat of "Wipeout" (5.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4) followed by fresh installments of "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" (4.55 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) and "Combat Hospital" (3.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up repeats of "NCIS" (8.65 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (7.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8) alongside a special "48 Hours Mystery" (5.96 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.71 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #11) and the departing "Hellcats" (0.56 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) on The CW (0.64 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): America's Got Talent (-13.30%), 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show (-15.80%), Combat Hospital (-27.30%).

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," 2.8/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/3 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.2/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

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" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (7/13/10):

FOX (11.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) towered over the competition on Tuesday thanks to its coverage of the "MLB All-Star Game" (11.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1). Leading off the night was its "MLB All-Star Game Pre-Game" (10.05 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3).

NBC (9.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then had to settle for second place with a new "Losing It With Jillian" (4.03 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and a two-hour "America's Got Talent" (11.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2).

Next up was ABC (5.31 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with a repeat of "Wipeout" (7.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) followed b new episodes of "Downfall" (3.80 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and "Primetime: Family Secrets" (4.34 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Meanwhile, it was all repeats on CBS (7.73 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) with "NCIS" (10.01 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (8.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6) and "The Good Wife" (4.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.78 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #11) and "Life Unexpected" (0.53 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) on The CW (0.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research