nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, november 15, 2012)

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

CBS (13.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.39 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #1) - a season high, "Two and a Half Men" (13.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) - also a season high, "Person of Interest" (14.51 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T3) - matching its season high - and "Elementary" (10.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6).

ABC (6.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) then snagged the silver with originals from "Last Resort" (5.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11) - its lowest rating to date, "Grey's Anatomy" (8.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T3) and "Scandal" (6.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7).

Sharing second place was FOX (6.28 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T2) and its pairing of "The X Factor" (7.29 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and "Glee" (5.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.70 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up its mix of "30 Rock" (3.41 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13), "Up All Night" (3.12 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T11), "The Office" (4.15 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) - tied as its series low, "Parks & Recreation" (3.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.99 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #15).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.80 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.62 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (2.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.9 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.00% - The Big Bang Theory
+6.90% - Person of Interest
+5.00% - Scandal
+4.55% - Elementary
+4.35% - The X Factor
+2.50% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - 30 Rock (vs. 10/31/12)
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-3.13% - Grey's Anatomy
-5.56% - Parks & Recreation
-7.14% - Last Resort
-12.50% - Glee
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
-14.29% - Beauty and the Beast
-18.75% - Up All Night (vs. 10/25/12)
-20.00% - The Office

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. Beneath the Blue)
+24.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Private Practice)
+19.23% - Person of Interest
+13.89% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+5.77% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Prime Suspect)
-8.00% - Elementary (vs. The Mentalist)
-10.53% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Whitney)
-13.33% - Last Resort (vs. 20/20)
-19.23% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice)
-20.00% - The X Factor
-25.00% - Glee (vs. Bones)
-25.00% - 30 Rock (vs. Community)
-25.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. Beneath the Blue)
-31.03% - The Office
-35.00% - Up All Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)

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," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; 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," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

* 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" (1.3/4). 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/17/11):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL preemptions, Fast Nationals for CW are inflated.]

CBS (12.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) took home the demo crown on Thursday for the first time this season thanks to new episodes "The Big Bang Theory" (14.83 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), "Rules of Engagement" (11.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2), "Person of Interest" (11.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6) and "The Mentalist" (12.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8).

FOX (9.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "The X Factor" (9.46 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Bones" (8.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

Next up was ABC (7.46 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with a special "20/20" (8.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13) followed by a new "Private Practice" (7.19 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8) and a second hour of "Private Practice" (7.15 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up its lineup of "Community" (3.63 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12), "Parks & Recreation" (3.71 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10), "The Office" (5.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "Whitney" (4.09 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11) and "Prime Suspect" (4.39 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14).

And finally, the feature "Beneath the Blue" (2.58 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) on The CW (2.58 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+11.11% - Parks & Recreation
+6.67% - Community
+3.70% - Bones
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Rules of Engagement
-3.33% - The Office
-3.70% - Person of Interest
-8.33% - Prime Suspect
-9.09% - The X Factor
-9.52% - Whitney
-10.34% - Private Practice
-13.79% - The Mentalist

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+47.37% - Bones (vs. Fringe)
+20.93% - The Big Bang Theory
+16.13% - Rules of Engagement (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
+11.11% - The X Factor (vs. Bones)
-8.33% - Prime Suspect (vs. The Apprentice)
-13.04% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
-13.33% - Private Practice
-15.79% - Community
-16.67% - The Mentalist
-18.75% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-21.62% - The Office
-29.63% - Whitney (vs. Outsourced)

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," 3.2/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; 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) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research