nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, june 20, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (6.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with a new two-hour "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

CBS (5.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2) then had to settle for the silver with a new "Dogs in the City" (4.94 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

Sharing second place was ABC (4.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2) and its mix of "The Middle" (4.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), "Suburgatory" (3.58 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), "Modern Family" (4.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) and a special 90-minute "Duets" (4.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) was still out of the hunt with its combination of "Justin Bieber: All Around the World, Part 1" (3.31 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) and repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.40 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and another "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.19 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (1.10 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and another "America's Next Top Model" (1.21 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) on The CW (1.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) capped the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - So You Think You Can Dance
-8.33% - Duets
-9.09% - Dogs in the City

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - So You Think You Can Dance (vs. FOX News Special/So You Think You Can Dance)
0.00% - Dogs in the City (vs. CBS News Special/Undercover Boss)
-10.57% - Duets (vs. Happy Endings (Repeat)/Primetime Nightline)
-68.97% - Justin Bieber: All Around the World, Part 1 (vs. NBC News Special/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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.4/2; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 19 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/22/11):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to last night's Presidential Address, Fast Nationals are approximate for FOX and NBC on the night and from 8-8:30p for ABC and CBS.]

NBC (11.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) pulled in front on Wednesday thanks to its mix of (half-hours results only) an "NBC News Special/The Voice" (8.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6), "The Voice" (9.78 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4), "The Voice/America's Got Talent" (12.28 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2), "America's Got Talent" (13.23 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1), "America's Got Talent/America's Got Talent (R)" (12.73 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "America's Got Talent (R)" (10.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

FOX (5.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then slipped to second place with its "FOX News Special/So You Think You Can Dance" (4.69 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8) and "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.10 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7).

Next up was ABC (4.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its combination of "ABC News Special/The Middle" (4.73 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14), "The Middle" (4.04 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12), "Modern Family" (4.46 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9), "Happy Endings" (2.89 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12) and "Primetime Nightline" (4.78 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up its "CBS News Special/Undercover Boss" (4.81 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14) followed by repeats of "Undercover Boss" (4.46 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14), "Criminal Minds" (6.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) and "Blue Bloods" (5.82 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T14).

And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (0.98 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T18) and another "America's Next Top Model" (0.88 million viewers, #19; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T18) on The CW (0.93 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Not applicable due to last night's disruption.

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.9/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

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" (1.1/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research