nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, may 3, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (10.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) held onto the demo crown on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (15.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) and "Touch" (6.84 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8).

CBS (12.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then was a competitive second place - plus number one in total viewers - with its lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.63 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Rules of Engagement" (9.01 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Person of Interest" (12.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #5) and "The Mentalist" (12.67 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

Next up was ABC (7.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with originals from "Missing" (6.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) - its series low, "Grey's Anatomy" (9.00 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) and "Scandal" (6.78 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up its combination of "Community" (3.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11), "30 Rock" (3.06 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11), "The Office" (4.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7), "Parks & Recreation" (3.35 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and "Awake" (2.14 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) - its lowest rating to date.

And finally, the penultimate weeks of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.44 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "The Secret Circle" (1.23 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (1.83 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.8 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - The Secret Circle
+15.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+14.29% - The Mentalist
+10.53% - Touch
+10.00% - The Vampire Diaries
9.52% - The Office
8.00% - Rules of Engagement
6.25% - Parks & Recreation
4.17% - Person of Interest
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Community
-12.50% - 30 Rock
-12.50% - Awake
-15.38% - Missing

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+48.39% - The Big Bang Theory
+27.27% - 30 Rock (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+22.73% - Rules of Engagement
+13.64% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - Community
-7.69% - The Mentalist
-8.33% - The Vampire Diaries
-8.57% - Grey's Anatomy
-8.70% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-21.43% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
-25.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-34.29% - The Office
-34.62% - Parks & Recreation
-36.07% - American Idol
-36.36% - Touch (vs. Bones)
-61.11% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced)

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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.5/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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.

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/5/11):

FOX (15.95 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1) was as usual the network to beat on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (20.81 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) and "Bones" (11.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4).

CBS (11.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5), "Rules of Engagement" (7.70 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9) and "The Mentalist" (13.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6).

Next up was ABC (7.19 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with new episodes of "Wipeout" (4.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T13), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T2) and "Private Practice" (6.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) dipped to fourth place with its combination of a new "Community" (3.46 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T13), a repeat of "The Office" (2.70 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #16) followed by new episodes of "The Office" (6.76 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T2), "Parks & Recreation" (5.07 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6), the season finale of "30 Rock" (4.21 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11) and a new "Outsourced" (3.15 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12).

And finally, a new "The Vampire Diaries" (2.67 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) led into a new "Nikita" (1.93 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #17) on The CW (2.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Nikita (33.30%), Bones (17.90%), Parks & Recreation (13.00%), American Idol (10.90%), 30 Rock (10.50%), Private Practice (4.50%), Grey's Anatomy (0.00%), The Mentalist (0.00%), The Vampire Diaries (0.00%), The Big Bang Theory (-3.10%), Rules of Engagement (-4.30%), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (-4.30%), Community (-6.70%), Outsourced (-11.80% vs. 4/14/11), The Office (-14.60%), Wipeout (-26.30% vs. 4/14/11).

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," 3.1/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.8/5 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research