nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 11, 2012)

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

FOX (16.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with another two-hour edition of "American Idol" (16.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1).

CBS (10.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then took home the silver with its original mix of "Survivor: One World" (9.63 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) - its lowest original rating ever (excluding clip shows and Thanksgiving), "Criminal Minds" (11.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) - tied for its lowest original rating ever.

Next up was ABC (6.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (7.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - tied for its season low, "Suburgatory" (6.11 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - likewise tied for its season low - and "Modern Family" (10.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) followed by the debut of "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (6.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) and the recap special "Revenge: From the Beginning" (5.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.24 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was out of the hunt with its lineup of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (6.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9), "Best Friends Forever" (2.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.75 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.42 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9) - matching its lowest original rating ever.

And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (0.95 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (0.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+4.26% - American Idol
0.00% - Criminal Minds
0.00% - The Middle (vs. 3/14/12)
0.00% - Suburgatory (vs. 3/14/12)
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 2/29/12)
-3.70% - Survivor: One World
-6.82% - Modern Family (vs. 3/14/12)
-11.11% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
-20.69% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-25.00% - Best Friends Forever
-25.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-28.57% - America's Next Top Model (vs. 3/28/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Minute to Win It)
+40.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+16.67% - The Middle
+7.89% - Modern Family
+7.41% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Happy Endings (S))
+6.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-8.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-10.00% - Best Friends Forever (vs. Minute to Win It)
-10.34% - Survivor: One World
-11.76% - Criminal Minds
-16.67% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
-18.74% - American Idol (vs. American Idol 10/Breaking In)
-21.95% - Revenge: From the Beginning (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Modern Family (Repeat))
-40.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))

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," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-4) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/13/11):

FOX (18.89 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.0, #1) was Wednesday's top draw as usual thanks to a new "American Idol" (22.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.1, #1). Leading out of said broadcast was week two of "Breaking In" (8.40 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

CBS (11.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "Survivor: Redemption Island" (10.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) - its lowest-rated regular telecast ever (excluding clipshows and Thanksgiving), "Criminal Minds" (13.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (9.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

Next up was ABC (6.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (6.10 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9), "Better With You" (4.92 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11) and "Modern Family" (9.53 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) - all season lows for original, non-holiday episodes - followed by the launch of "Happy Endings" (7.27 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6), a second episode of "Happy Endings" (5.72 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8) and a repeat of "Modern Family" (4.59 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "Minute to Win It" (3.68 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) alongside repeats of "Minute to Win It" (3.48 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (2.25 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) led into the season finale of "Shedding for the Wedding" (1.39 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (1.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Shedding for the Wedding (50.00%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (19.00%), America's Next Top Model (11.10%), American Idol (0.00%), Minute to Win It (0.00%), Criminal Minds (-5.60%), Survivor: Redemption Island (-6.50%), The Middle (-10.00% vs. 3/23/11), Modern Family (-11.60% vs. 3/23/11), Better With You (-16.70% vs. 3/2/11), Breaking In (-20.00%).

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research