nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 30, 2012)

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

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for NBC are approximate.]

FOX (6.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with the time period premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1).

The silver then went to CBS (6.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) with the debut of "Dogs in the City" (6.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (5.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

Next up was ABC (3.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (5.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4), "Suburgatory" (3.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "Modern Family" (4.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2), "Happy Endings" (2.81 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (2.73 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and another "Modern Family" (2.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) was out of the hunt with its coverage of the "NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1" (2.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.93 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) led into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (1.37 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.9 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
+13.04% - Dogs in the City (vs. Mike & Molly (Repeat)/Rules of Engagement (Repeat))
-13.33% - So You Think You Can Dance
-44.44% - NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1

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," 1.7/5 with an encore telecast delayed by hockey; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.5/3 with an encore delayed by hockey; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore delayed by hockey) trailed CBS's first-run on-time "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore delayed by hockey) tied "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 with an encore delayed by hockey in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/1/11):

FOX (8.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) claimed top honors on Wednesday with night two of the "So You Think You Can Dance" (8.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) summer premiere.

Second place then went to NBC (4.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with its opening "NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game 1" (4.54 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) coverage.

Next up was ABC (5.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (5.39 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8), another "The Middle" (5.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5), "Modern Family" (6.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2), another "Modern Family" (6.09 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2), "Cougar Town" (4.05 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and "Happy Endings" (3.39 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.21 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) served up its own repeat mix of "Mike & Molly" (4.86 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Rules of Engagement" (4.61 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Criminal Minds" (7.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (6.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.24 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) and a second "America's Next Top Model" (1.23 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) on The CW (1.24 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): None.

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

Currently not available.

Source: Nielsen Media Research