nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, december 13, 2011)

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

CBS (15.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) was the most-watched network on Tuesday with fresh installments of "NCIS" (19.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Unforgettable" (11.20 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Sharing the demo crown then was FOX (6.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) with the fall finales of "Glee" (7.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "New Girl" (6.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "Raising Hope" (5.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6).

Next up was NBC (6.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with the special "William & Kate: Inside the Royal Marriage" (5.31 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the season finale of "The Biggest Loser 12" (7.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5). While the latter marked a season high, it was also "Loser's" lowest-rated fall finale ever.

Meanwhile, ABC (5.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up a new "Last Man Standing" (7.46 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) followed by repeats of "Last Man Standing" (6.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9), "The Middle" (4.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), "Suburgatory" (3.82 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "Body of Proof" (4.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.82 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Ringer" (0.60 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.4 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+22.73% - The Biggest Loser 12
+4.55% - Raising Hope
0.00% - NCIS
0.00% - NCIS: Los Angeles
0.00% - Glee
-2.94% - New Girl
-4.55% - Unforgettable
-15.38% - Last Man Standing

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+57.14% - New Girl (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+38.10% - Glee (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+37.50% - Last Man Standing (vs. Charlie Brown: I Want a Dog for Christmas (Repeat))
+9.52% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee (Repeat))
0.00% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife)
-6.25% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-12.50% - NCIS
-32.50% - The Biggest Loser 12

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," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) 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 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/14/10):

The season finale of "The Biggest Loser" (11.02 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T1) put NBC (9.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) on top in adults 18-49 last night. Leading off the evening was a new "Minute to Win It" (7.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4).

CBS (16.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) however was the most-watched network with new episodes of "NCIS" (19.78 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) and "The Good Wife" (11.71 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5).

Next up was FOX (5.49 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with repeats of "Glee" (5.59 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5) and a second hour of "Glee" (5.39 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up repeats of "Charlie Brown: I Want a Dog for Christmas" (5.52 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8), "No Ordinary Family" (3.53 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and "Detroit 187" (3.87 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10).

And finally, The CW (1.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening with repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.36 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11) and a second "The Vampire Diaries" (1.24 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Biggest Loser (29.00%), Minute to Win It (21.10%), NCIS (2.60% vs. 11/23/10), NCIS: Los Angeles (0.00% vs. 11/23/10), The Good Wife (0.00% vs. 11/23/10).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.4/8) took top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (3.0/7) and ABC's "Nightline" (3.1/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.6/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.7/6) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research