nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, october 11, 2011)

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

CBS (15.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) proved to be the network to beat on Tuesday with new episodes of "NCIS" (18.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T3) and "Unforgettable" (11.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7).

ABC (12.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then claimed the silver with the premiere of "Last Man Standing" (12.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T3), a second episode of "Last Man Standing" (13.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) and new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (16.60 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5) and "Body of Proof" (9.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10).

Next up was FOX (7.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with its primetime coverage of "ALCS, Game 3" (7.98 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.39 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) was still out of the hunt with new episodes of "The Biggest Loser 12" (5.46 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) and "Parenthood" (5.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

And finally, fresh installments of "90210" (1.50 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) and "Ringer" (1.72 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) rounded out the evening on The CW (1.63 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Ringer
+14.29% - Dancing With the Stars
+5.00% - Parenthood
0.00% - The Biggest Loser 12
0.00% - 90210
-2.94% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-4.17% - Unforgettable
-4.88% - NCIS
-9.52% - Body of Proof

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.87% - Last Man Standing - 8:30 (vs. No Ordinary Family)
+43.48% - Last Man Standing - 8:00 (vs. No Ordinary Family)
+5.56% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
5.00% - Parenthood
0.00% - NCIS
0.00% - Ringer (vs. Life Unexpected)
-5.71% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-5.88% - Dancing With the Stars
-11.54% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife)
-23.08% - The Biggest Loser 12
-40.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; 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," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 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" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/12/10):

CBS (15.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T1) and FOX (8.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T1) split the adults 18-49 crown on Tuesday as the latter served up new episodes of "Glee" (11.12 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Raising Hope" (6.35 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5) and "Running Wilde" (3.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11).

The Eye then offered up its usual mix of "NCIS" (18.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.06 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "The Good Wife" (11.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5).

Next up was ABC (10.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with week three of "No Ordinary Family" (7.68 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8) followed by new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (15.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and "Detroit 187" (7.43 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) offered up original installments of "The Biggest Loser" (7.00 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5) and "Parenthood" (4.69 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12) and "Life Unexpected" (1.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) on The CW (1.80 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): NCIS: Los Angeles (9.40%), Dancing With the Stars (6.30%), NCIS (5.40%), The Good Wife (4.00%), The Biggest Loser (4.00%), Glee (2.20%), Raising Hope (0.00%), Parenthood (0.00%), Detroit 187 (0.00%), One Tree Hill (0.00%), Life Unexpected (-11.10%), No Ordinary Family (-11.50%), Running Wilde (-16.70%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.8/9) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.5/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.9/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (2.3/7) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.2/4) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research