nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, september 12, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC are inflated. Due to U.S. Open Tennis overrun until 8:35p, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

ABC (7.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) was the network to beat on the final week of the summer thanks to its "Bachelor Pad: The Final Challenge" (7.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) special followed by the season finale of "Bachelor Pad" (6.93 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2).

The silver then went to FOX (4.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with a repeat of "Hell's Kitchen" (3.36 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) followed by a new "Hell's Kitchen" (5.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

Next up was NBC (4.93 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with an encore of "America's Got Talent" (4.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) alongside the "2011 Miss Universe Pageant" (5.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4).

Meanwhile, CBS (4.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "U.S. Open Tennis Overrun" (4.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), "How I Met Your Mother" (3.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), another "How I Met Your Mother" (4.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), "Two and a Half Men" (4.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "Mike & Molly" (4.49 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Hawaii Five-0" (3.99 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, The CW (1.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening with its special "Gaga by Gaultier" (1.44 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13), "Gaga by Gaultier/The CW 2011 Fall Preview Special" (1.22 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) and "The CW 2011 Fall Preview Special" (0.71 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Bachelor Pad (27.8%), Hell's Kitchen (-7.7%).

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore delayed by a sports overrun; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.5/6; 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," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with a delayed encore; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4 with an encore delayed by a sports overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with a delayed 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 0.2/2 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 (9/13/10):

CBS (6.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) claimed top honors on the final Monday of the summer with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (5.42 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6), "Rules of Engagement" (5.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3), "Two and a Half Men" (8.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2), "The Big Bang Theory" (7.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) and "CSI: Miami" (6.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3).

ABC (5.05 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) then took home the silver with the season finales of "Bachelor Pad" (5.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) and "Dating in the Dark" (3.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8).

Next up was FOX (4.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with a repeat of "House" (3.88 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10) and the season finale of "Lie to Me" (4.95 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

Meanwhile, an encore of "America's Got Talent" (5.36 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10) lead into a new "Dateline NBC" (4.40 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8) on NBC (5.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4).

And finally, the season premieres of "90210" (1.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (1.87 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) on The CW (1.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Collectively (see below for specifics), the duo were down 25% in viewers and 31% in adults 18-49 from last year's openers to "One Tree Hill" and "Gossip Girl."

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (2.8/7) took top honors ahead of ABC's "Nightline" (2.4/5) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.2/5). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.2/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.1/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.2/4) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research