nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, november 1, 2011)

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

CBS (15.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) held onto the top spot on Tuesday thanks to fresh installments of "NCIS" (19.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.59 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "Unforgettable" (11.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8).

FOX (6.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then claimed the silver with the return of "Glee" (7.43 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), a season low; "New Girl" (7.53 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2), a series low; and "Raising Hope" (5.49 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Next up was ABC (11.04 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) wiht new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (9.30 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6), "Man Up!" (6.41 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "Dancing With the Stars" (15.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5) and "Body of Proof" (10.06 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.02 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) offered up new episodes of "The Biggest Loser 12" (6.38 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8) and "Parenthood" (5.29 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #10).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) and "Ringer" (1.80 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) on The CW (1.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Ringer" posted a 1.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+21.05% - The Biggest Loser 12
+12.00% - Dancing With the Stars
+10.00% - Parenthood (vs. 10/18/11)
+5.26% - Body of Proof
0.00% - 90210 (vs. 10/18/11)
0.00% - Ringer (vs. 10/18/11)
-2.50% - NCIS
-5.26% - Man Up!
-7.14% - Last Man Standing
-8.00% - Unforgettable
-8.11% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-13.79% - Raising Hope (vs. 10/4/11)
-17.14% - Glee (vs. 10/4/11)
-18.60% - New Girl (vs. 10/4/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+250.00% - New Girl (vs. FOX News Special)
+150.00% - Raising Hope (vs. FOX News Special)
+76.92% - Unforgettable (vs. CBS News Special)
+69.57% - NCIS
+52.63% - Glee
+41.67% - NCIS: Los Angeles
+22.22% - Parenthood (vs. NBC News Special)
+17.65% - Body of Proof (vs. ABC News Special)
+16.67% - Dancing With the Stars (vs. Dancing With the Stars/ABC News Special)
+9.52% - The Biggest Loser 12 (vs. The Biggest Loser/NBC News Special)
-11.11% - Ringer (vs. Life Unexpected)
-16.13% - Last Man Standing (vs. Dancing With the Stars)
-30.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-41.94% - Man Up! (vs. Dancing With the Stars)

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/6.

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," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). 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 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/2/10):

ABC (12.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Election Night with a 90-minute edition of "Dancing With the Stars" (16.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) followed by an "ABC News Special" (7.65 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7).

NBC (6.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then claimed the silver with an abbreviated installment of "The Biggest Loser" (6.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T2) followed by its "NBC News Special" (6.33 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6).

Next up was CBS (9.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with repeats of "NCIS" (11.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (11.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T2) followed by a "CBS News Special" (6.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up a repeat of "Glee" (5.08 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5) and a "FOX News Special" (2.98 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (2.07 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) and "Life Unexpected" (1.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) on The CW (1.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Life Unexpected (28.6% vs. 10/19/10), Dancing With the Stars (4.3%), The Biggest Loser (0.0%), One Tree Hill (0.0% vs. 10/19/10).

Due to election coverage, late-night metered market ratings were not available for this date.

Source: Nielsen Media Research