nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, april 23, 2012)

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

NBC (8.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) held onto the demo crown on Monday thanks to new episodes of "The Voice" (10.12 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) and "Smash" (6.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5).

ABC (15.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) however was the definitive most-watched network with a new "Dancing With the Stars" (17.27 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and a "20/20: Dance Floor Confidential" (10.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5) special.

FOX (6.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) then claimed the bronze with originals of "Bones" (7.25 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) and "House" (6.55 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (4.78 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10), "2 Broke Girls" (5.23 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T8), "Two and a Half Men" (6.65 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7), "Mike & Molly" (6.03 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T8) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.61 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "Gossip Girl" (1.01 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and "Hart of Dixie" (1.22 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) on The CW (1.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip" delivered a 1.0 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.9 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
15.00% - House
10.53% - Smash
7.14% - Dancing With the Stars
4.76% - Bones
2.78% - The Voice
-16.67% - Hart of Dixie
-16.67% - Gossip Girl

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+236.36% - The Voice (vs. Chuck (Repeat)/The Event)
+130.00% - House (vs. The Chicago Code (Repeat))
+61.54% - Smash (vs. Law & Order: LA)
+46.67% - Bones (vs. House (Repeat))
+31.25% - 20/20: Dance Floor Confidential (vs. Castle (Repeat))
-25.56% - Dancing With the Stars
-44.44% - Hart of Dixie (vs. Gossip Girl)
-44.44% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210)

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.7/9; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market household with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/25/11):

ABC (15.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the network to beat on Monday with a new "Dancing With the Stars" (21.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) followed by a special "Better With You" (11.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) - a series high - and a repeat of "Castle" (7.62 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7).

CBS (6.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (5.26 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7), "Mad Love" (5.57 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (7.65 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3), "Mike & Molly" (7.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.00 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6).

Next up was FOX (4.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) with encores of "House" (4.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9) and "The Chicago Code" (4.12 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) offered up a repeat of "Chuck" (2.85 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) alongside fresh installments of "The Event" (4.43 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) and "Law & Order: LA" (5.76 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.80 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Gossip Girl" (1.54 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) on The CW (1.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Better With You (62.50% vs. 4/20/11), The Event (18.20%), Law & Order: LA (18.20%), Dancing With the Stars (15.40%), 90210 (12.50%), Gossip Girl (12.50%), Mad Love (5.30%).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

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," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

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" (0.7/4 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 with an encore 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