nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, march 12, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (11.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) was the network to beat on Monday with fresh installments of "The Voice" (14.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1) - a season low - and "Smash" (7.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4).

ABC (9.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the season finale of "The Bachelor" (9.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) and the special "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose" (9.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2).

Next up was CBS (7.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (5.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8), "2 Broke Girls" (6.48 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6), "Two and a Half Men" (7.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5), "Mike & Molly" (7.30 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up a repeat of "House" (3.65 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11) alongside a new "Alcatraz" (4.99 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9) - its series low.

And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (0.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Hart of Dixie" (0.49 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #13) on The CW (0.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.00% - The Bachelor
-11.11% - Alcatraz
-11.11% - Smash
-16.39% - The Voice

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+264.29% - The Voice (vs. Chuck/The Event)
+41.18% - Smash (vs. Harry's Law)
-15.79% - Alcatraz (vs. The Chicago Code)
-29.79% - The Bachelor: After the Final Rose
-35.56% - The Bachelor

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore 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 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/14/11):

ABC (13.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) towered over the competition on Monday thanks to the season finale of "The Bachelor" (13.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2) followed by the reunion special "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose" (13.93 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1).

FOX (8.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed a distant second place with new episodes of "House" (10.28 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "The Chicago Code" (7.28 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T7).

Next up was CBS (7.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (6.08 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T7), "Mad Love" (6.51 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6), "Two and a Half Men" (9.79 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4), "Mike & Molly" (8.46 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.30 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Chuck" (4.97 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11), "The Event" (4.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and "Harry's Law" (10.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) - all three of which matched or hit new series lows.

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.73 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.62 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Bachelor (45.20%), Harry's Law (-5.60%), Chuck (-5.90%), House (-7.90%), The Chicago Code (-9.50%), Mad Love (-12.50%), The Event (-14.30%).

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," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.9/9; 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," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.5/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research