nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, august 17, 2011)

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

CBS (6.96 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) was Wednesday's top draw thanks to a season high audience from "Big Brother 13" (7.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (5.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4).

NBC (6.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then had to settle for second place with new episodes of "Minute to Win It" (4.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10) and "America's Got Talent" (9.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) alongside the season finale of "Love in the Wild" (4.49 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6).

Next up was ABC (4.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with encores of "The Middle" (4.70 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8), "Modern Family" (4.68 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), another "Modern Family" (4.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3), "Happy Endings" (2.93 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11) and a new "Primetime Nightline" (4.37 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.88 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up repeats of "Mobbed" (1.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and "House" (1.84 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.19 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and another "America's Next Top Model" (1.05 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (1.12 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Big Brother 13 (14.8%), America's Got Talent (0.0%), Primetime Nightline (0.0%), Minute to Win It (0.0%), Love in the Wild (-6.7%).

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," 2.1/5 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/18/10):

FOX (5.02 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) was the network to beat among adults 18-49 thanks to the relocated "Masterchef" (4.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) and a second "Masterchef" (5.21 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3).

NBC (6.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Minute to Win It" (5.65 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T5), "America's Got Talent" (10.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T1) and a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Next up was CBS (6.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2) with a new "Big Brother 12" (7.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T1) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T5) and "CSI: NY" (5.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was all repeats with its mix of "The Middle" (3.92 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12), another "The Middle" (3.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "Modern Family" (3.79 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8), "Cougar Town" (2.90 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Castle" (3.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.55 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) lead into a new "Plain Jane" (1.33 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) on The CW (1.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (2.7/6) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.6/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.1/5). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.3/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.1/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.1/4) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research