nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, may 10, 2012)

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

FOX (11.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) escaped with the adults 18-49 crown on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (15.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) and "Touch" (6.94 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

CBS (12.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then was a close second place with the season finale of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) followed by new episodes of "Rules of Engagement" (8.85 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Person of Interest" (12.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) and "The Mentalist" (12.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #6).

Next up was ABC (7.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with the penultimate weeks of "Missing" (6.36 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) - its lowest to date, "Grey's Anatomy" (9.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3) and "Scandal" (6.48 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up originals of "Community" (3.12 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) and "30 Rock" (2.95 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11) followed by the respective season finales of "The Office" (4.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) and "Parks & Recreation" (3.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) as well as a new "Awake" (2.50 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #15).

And finally, the season finales of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.49 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T13) and "The Secret Circle" (1.24 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.86 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 1.7 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.7 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - Awake
+7.14% - 30 Rock
+6.25% - Grey's Anatomy
+4.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Rules of Engagement
0.00% - The Mentalist
0.00% - Parks & Recreation
0.00% - Community
0.00% - Missing
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-4.35% - The Office
-4.76% - Touch
-4.76% - Scandal
-8.70% - The Big Bang Theory
-16.67% - The Secret Circle

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+31.25% - The Big Bang Theory
+25.00% - 30 Rock (vs. The Office (Repeat))
+17.39% - Rules of Engagement
+9.68% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
0.00% - Community
-7.69% - The Mentalist
-13.04% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-15.38% - The Vampire Diaries
-28.57% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-29.17% - Parks & Recreation
-31.25% - The Office
-35.29% - Missing (vs. Spring Wipeout)
-37.10% - American Idol
-39.39% - Touch (vs. Bones)
-48.57% - Awake (vs. Parks & Recreation (S)/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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.8/9; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

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" (0.4/2).

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 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/12/11):

FOX (16.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday for the 17th consecutive week thanks to new episodes of "American Idol" (21.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.2, #1) and "Bones" (11.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2).

CBS (11.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3) and "Rules of Engagement" (8.00 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T9) followed by the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (11.49 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6) and a new "The Mentalist" (13.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6).

Next up was ABC (7.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "Wipeout" (5.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.36 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "Private Practice" (7.23 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) offered up the season finale of "Community" (3.24 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #14) along with a repeat of "The Office" (2.62 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #16) and new episodes of "The Office" (6.25 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3), "Parks & Recreation" (4.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), another "Parks & Recreation" (3.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11) and the season finale of "Outsourced" (2.96 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13).

And finally, the season finales of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.79 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #15) and "Nikita" (1.94 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.7, #17) on The CW (2.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Wipeout (21.40%), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (18.20%), The Vampire Diaries (8.30%), Rules of Engagement (4.50%), The Big Bang Theory (3.20%), American Idol (1.60%), Community (0.00%), Outsourced (0.00%), Bones (0.00%), The Mentalist (0.00%), Private Practice (0.00%), Parks & Recreation (-7.70%), The Office (-8.60%), Grey's Anatomy (-11.40%), Nikita (-12.50%).

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/4.

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

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 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