nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, october 2, 2012)

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

CBS (15.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) was still the network to beat on Tuesday with week two of "NCIS" (18.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (14.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and "Vegas" (12.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6).

NBC (6.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its "The Voice" (8.22 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) recap special followed by originals from "Go On" (5.99 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "The New Normal" (4.61 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T9) and "Parenthood" (4.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T9).

Next up was FOX (3.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with the return of "Raising Hope" (3.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T9) followed by week two of "Ben & Kate" (3.26 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T12), "New Girl" (5.07 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4) and "The Mindy Project" (3.75 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8).

Meanwhile, ABC (8.71 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up the special "Dancing with the Stars: Defining Dances" (8.21 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #14) followed by new episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" (11.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Private Practice" (6.12 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T12).

And finally, the return of "Hart of Dixie" (1.54 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) and the penultimate night of "The Next" (0.66 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 1.1 rating while "The Next" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
5.00% - Dancing with the Stars
3.70% - New Girl
-5.56% - Parenthood
-8.82% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-12.20% - NCIS
-15.00% - The New Normal
-15.79% - Private Practice
-16.00% - Vegas
-18.52% - Go On
-20.00% - Ben & Kate
-20.83% - The Mindy Project
-27.50% - The Voice

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+45.00% - The Voice (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
+16.67% - Hart of Dixie (vs. 90210)
+10.00% - Go On (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
-8.82% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-12.20% - NCIS
-12.50% - Vegas (vs. Unforgettable)
-15.00% - Parenthood
-15.00% - The New Normal (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
-23.81% - Private Practice (vs. Body of Proof)
-25.00% - Dancing with the Stars
-34.48% - The Mindy Project (vs. Raising Hope)
-34.88% - New Girl
-50.00% - The Next (vs. Ringer)
-51.43% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee)
-54.29% - Ben & Kate (vs. Glee)

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," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· 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) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.6/4).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/4/11):

FOX (7.93 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) didn't skip a beat on Tuesday with week three of "Glee" (8.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3), "New Girl" (8.62 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) and "Raising Hope" (6.51 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5).

CBS (14.96 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then was again the most-watched network with its lineup of "NCIS" (18.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (14.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and "Unforgettable" (11.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7).

Next up was ABC (11.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with an encore of "Dancing With the Stars" (9.11 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11) followed by new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (14.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6) and "Body of Proof" (10.22 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up fresh installments of "The Biggest Loser 12" (5.60 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9) and "Parenthood" (5.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12) and "Ringer" (1.49 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12) rounded out the night on The CW (1.41 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.1 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.53% - Body of Proof
0.00% - Dancing With the Stars
0.00% - Raising Hope
-2.27% - New Girl
-2.38% - NCIS
-2.78% - Glee
-2.86% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-4.00% - Unforgettable
-9.09% - The Biggest Loser 12
-9.09% - Parenthood
-25.00% - 90210
-33.33% - Ringer

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+65.38% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
+61.11% - Raising Hope (vs. Running Wilde)
+16.67% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
+10.81% - NCIS
+6.25% - NCIS: Los Angeles
0.00% - Parenthood
-4.00% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife)
-12.50% - Dancing With the Stars
-20.00% - The Biggest Loser 12
-22.22% - Glee
-25.00% - Ringer (vs. Life Unexpected)
-40.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)

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," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.7/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/6.

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," 1.2/5; 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" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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