nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 16, 2012)

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

FOX (17.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) dominated the competition on Wednesday thanks to a two-hour "American Idol" (17.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1). Said numbers marked the highest-rated telecast so far during the sweeps period among adults 18-49 and its highest total viewers in seven weeks.

CBS (10.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed a distant second place with repeats of "Mike & Molly" (4.46 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) and "Rules of Engagement" (4.02 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) followed by the two-hour season finale of "Criminal Minds" (13.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3).

Next up was ABC (6.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with a new "The Middle" (6.49 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) - matching its season low, the season finale of "Suburgatory" (5.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7) and originals of "Modern Family" (9.30 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (4.84 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4) - also matching its season low - and "Revenge" (6.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a new "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.11 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10), a second new "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.40 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9), a repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.84 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and an original "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8).

And finally, The CW (0.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) offered up a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.80 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) followed by an original "America's Next Top Model" (1.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Criminal Minds
+25.00% - America's Next Top Model
9.09% - American Idol
0.00% - The Middle
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-6.25% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:30
-6.67% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:00
-9.09% - Revenge
-9.30% - Modern Family
-13.04% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
-14.29% - Suburgatory

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:30 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+40.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:00 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+37.93% - Revenge (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Happy Endings (10:30))
+32.08% - Criminal Minds (vs. Criminal Minds/Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
0.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - Suburgatory (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
-2.50% - Modern Family
-20.83% - The Middle
-33.33% - American Idol
-37.50% - America's Next Top Model
-39.29% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

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," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). 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 0.9/4 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/18/11):

FOX (23.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #1) dominated Wednesday night thanks to a two-hour "American Idol" (23.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #1).

CBS (9.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) then snagged a distant silver with a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (6.32 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10) followed by the season finale of "Criminal Minds" (12.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and the penultimate week of "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" (8.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6), which hit a series low.

Next up was ABC (5.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) with a new "The Middle" (7.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) followed by a repeat of "The Middle" (5.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and new episodes of "Modern Family" (10.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), "Cougar Town" (5.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6), "Happy Endings" (3.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) and another "Happy Endings" (3.10 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), the latter of which hit a series low.

Next up was NBC (5.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) with its mix of "Minute to Win It" (3.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12), another "Minute to Win It" (2.90 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (8.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.21 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) led into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (1.83 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (16.70%), The Middle (14.30%), Minute to Win It (11.10%), American Idol (4.30%), Criminal Minds (0.00%), Modern Family (-4.80%), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (-4.80%), Happy Endings #1 (-5.90%), Happy Endings #2 (-7.10%), Cougar Town (-16.70%), America's Next Top Model (-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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "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) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 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