nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, march 22, 2012)

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 the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

FOX (13.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) coasted to victory on Thursday thanks to a new "American Idol" (15.01 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) - which actually was its Thursday low this season - and the time period launch of "Touch" (11.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2).

CBS (6.75 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then claimed the silver with its coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Wisconsin vs. Syracuse" (7.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T3), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (5.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Cincinnati vs. Ohio State" (6.28 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T3).

Next up was NBC (3.84 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with its mix of "Community" (3.89 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6), "30 Rock" (3.27 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), a second "30 Rock" (3.42 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), "Up All Night" (3.18 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10) - its series low - and "Awake" (4.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12).

Meanwhile, ABC (5.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up week two of "Missing" (8.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7) alongside repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.71 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T12) and "Private Practice" (3.41 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14).

And finally on The CW (2.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5), originals of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.73 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "The Secret Circle" (1.74 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 2.0 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - The Secret Circle
-11.11% - American Idol
-17.65% - Up All Night
-17.95% - Touch (vs. 1/25/12)
-20.00% - Missing
-22.73% - Community
-25.00% - 30 Rock - 8:30
-25.00% - Awake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+160.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+40.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+28.00% - Touch (vs. Bones (Repeat))
-5.56% - Community
-6.25% - 30 Rock - 8:30 (vs. Perfect Couples)
-27.27% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
-31.43% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced)
-35.48% - American Idol
-44.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-55.88% - 30 Rock - 9:00

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," 1.1/4 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

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" (0.7/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/24/11):

FOX (14.76 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday with a new "American Idol" (20.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.2, #1) followed by a repeat of "Bones" (8.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6).

ABC (8.52 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "Wipeout" (7.48 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9), "Grey's Anatomy" (10.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) and "Private Practice" (7.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5).

Next up was CBS (7.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with its coverage of "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UConn/San Diego State" (7.02 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), an "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (6.27 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T10) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke/Uarizona" (7.80 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.70 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Community" (4.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), "Perfect Couples" (3.42 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13), "The Office" (7.07 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3), "Parks & Recreation" (5.21 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T6), "30 Rock" (4.41 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T10) and "Outsourced" (3.64 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #14).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.41 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15) and "Nikita" (1.39 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T15) on The CW (1.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Private Practice (42.10%), Parks & Recreation (38.90% vs. 2/24/11), Perfect Couples (33.30%), 30 Rock (17.60%), American Idol (10.70%), Wipeout (10.00%), Grey's Anatomy (9.10% vs. 2/24/11), Outsourced (7.10%), Community (5.90%), The Office (3.00%).

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," 3.1/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.4/5 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.5/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

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" (0.9/4 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3 with an encore delayed by basketball).

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research