nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, may 15, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (16.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) posted another win on Tuesday thanks to the season finale of "NCIS" (18.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) followed by the two-hour season finale of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3).

NBC (8.58 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then claimed the silver with night two of "America's Got Talent" (10.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) plus the season finale of "Fashion Star" (4.92 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8).

Next up was FOX (6.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with a new "Glee" (6.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) alongside a second "Glee" (6.03 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4).

Meanwhile, ABC (7.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up originals of "Cougar Town" (3.35 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), another "Cougar Town" (3.31 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) - a series low, "Dancing With the Stars" (12.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6) - a series low for results shows - and the season finale of "Private Practice" (7.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

And finally, the season finale of "90210" (1.09 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #11) and a new "The L.A. Complex" (0.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12) on The CW (0.83 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Complex" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.08% - Fashion Star
+20.00% - Private Practice
+16.67% - NCIS
0.00% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-4.35% - Dancing With the Stars
-7.69% - Glee
-16.67% - 90210
-33.33% - The L.A. Complex
-33.33% - Cougar Town

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+38.89% - Glee - 9:00 (vs. Raising Hope/Breaking In)
+21.43% - America's Got Talent (vs. The Biggest Loser)
+5.26% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles/The Good Wife)
-7.89% - NCIS
-18.18% - Private Practice (vs. Body of Proof)
-28.57% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-31.43% - Glee - 8:00
-37.14% - Dancing With the Stars
-58.33% - Cougar Town - 8:30 (vs. Dancing With the Stars Recap)
-58.33% - Cougar Town - 8:00 (vs. Dancing With the Stars Recap)
-60.00% - The L.A. Complex (vs. Hellcats)
-64.44% - Fashion Star (vs. The Voice)

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," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 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" (0.5/3 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 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/17/11):

NBC (7.95 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was the network to beat on Tuesday with the penultimate week of "The Biggest Loser" (6.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6) and a new installment of "The Voice" (9.87 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1).

CBS (15.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then claimed the silver with the season finales of "NCIS" (18.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.37 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5) and "The Good Wife" (12.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7).

ABC (13.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) then took home the bronze with its mix of "Dancing With the Stars Recap" (13.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8), "Dancing With the Stars" (17.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T3) and the season finale of "Body of Proof" (10.48 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (6.59 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4) had to settle for fourth place with a new "Glee" (8.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T3) followed by the season finales of "Raising Hope" (5.53 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9) and "Breaking In" (3.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

And finally, the season finale of "One Tree Hill" (1.52 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) led into the de facto swan song for "Hellcats" (1.16 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) on The CW (1.34 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Good Wife (25.00%), One Tree Hill (16.70%), NCIS: Los Angeles (14.30%), Dancing With the Stars (9.40%), NCIS (8.60%), The Biggest Loser (7.70%), Body of Proof (4.80%), Raising Hope (0.00%), Hellcats (0.00%), The Voice (-2.20%), Glee (-2.80%), Breaking In (-41.70%vs. 5/11/11).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.7/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

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" (0.6/4 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