nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, june 21, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 14 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 ABC are approximate.]

ABC (12.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to its mix of "Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night" (6.75 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3), "NBA Countdown" (8.66 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and "NBA Finals, Game 5" (15.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.4, #1).

A distant second place then went to CBS (6.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4), "2 Broke Girls" (7.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5), "Person of Interest" (6.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7) and "The Mentalist" (6.20 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9).

Next up was FOX (3.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with week three of "Take Me Out" (3.15 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8) and "The Choice" (4.17 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) was out of the hunt despite its all-original mix of "Justin Bieber: All Around the World, Part 2" (3.10 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10), "Saving Hope" (2.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.78 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10).

And finally, a new "Breaking Pointe" (0.91 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.63 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Pointe" posted a 0.4 rating while "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night
+12.90% - NBA Countdown
+10.34% - NBA Finals, Game 5
+9.09% - Take Me Out
0.00% - The Choice
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
0.00% - Breaking Pointe
-11.11% - Justin Bieber: All Around the World (vs. 6/20/12)
-28.57% - Saving Hope

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+228.21% - NBA Finals, Game 5 (vs. Expedition Impossible/Rookie Blue)
+52.17% - NBA Countdown (vs. Wipeout)
+36.36% - The Choice (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+6.67% - Justin Bieber: All Around the World (vs. Community (Repeat)/30 Rock (Repeat))
+4.35% - Jimmy Kimmel: Game Night (vs. Wipeout)
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Love Bites)
0.00% - Breaking Pointe (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-36.84% - Take Me Out (vs. So You Think You Can Dance 8)
-47.37% - Saving Hope (vs. The Office (Repeat)/Parks & Recreation (Repeat))

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," 2.7/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," (delayed by NBA Basketball); and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," (delayed by NBA Basketball).

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," (delayed by NBA Basketball); and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," (delayed by NBA Basketball).

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/23/11):

ABC (6.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) was the network to beat with the debut of its Thursday summer lineup of "Wipeout" (7.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1), "Expedition Impossible" (7.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) and "Rookie Blue" (5.88 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5).

FOX (4.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then got bumped to second place with a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.32 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) followed by a repeat of "Glee" (3.23 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9).

Next up was CBS (7.37 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4), "Rules of Engagement" (5.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.68 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7) and "The Mentalist" (8.01 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) remained out the hunt with its mix of "Community" (2.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12), "30 Rock" (2.11 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14), "The Office" (2.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10), "Parks & Recreation" (2.21 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) and a new "Love Bites" (2.00 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.87 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) and "Nikita" (0.95 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (0.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): So You Think You Can Dance (-9.50%), Love Bites (-11.10%).

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," 2.6/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/6; 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," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.7/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 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" (0.3/2 with an encore).

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