nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, november 27, 2012)

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

ABC (13.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) took home top honors on a competitive Tuesday with its mix of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (8.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7), "Shrek the Halls" (8.44 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5) and the two-hour season finale of "Dancing with the Stars" (16.58 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3).

CBS (14.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then was the most-watched network with its lineup of "NCIS" (19.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (14.26 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) and "Vegas" (9.42 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12).

Next up was NBC (7.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with originals from "The Voice" (11.39 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1), "Go On" (6.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T5), "The New Normal" (4.07 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10) and "Parenthood" (4.43 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.45 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) missed the cut with new episodes of "Raising Hope" (3.88 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T10), "Ben & Kate" (2.92 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #14), "New Girl" (4.18 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8) and "The Mindy Project" (2.80 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13).

And finally, new episodes of "Hart of Dixie" (1.34 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) and "Emily Owens, MD" (1.04 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Emily" posted a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+57.89% - Dancing with the Stars
+27.27% - Ben & Kate
+16.67% - NCIS
+15.38% - The Mindy Project
+15.15% - The Voice
+15.00% - New Girl
+13.64% - Go On
+13.33% - Raising Hope
+12.50% - Parenthood
+6.25% - The New Normal
+3.57% - NCIS: Los Angeles
0.00% - Hart of Dixie
-11.11% - Vegas
-25.00% - Emily Owens, MD

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+89.87% - Dancing with the Stars (vs. The Middle (Repeat)/The Middle (Repeat)/Body of Proof)
+58.33% - The Voice (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
+4.17% - Go On (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
0.00% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. NCIS (Repeat))
-12.50% - NCIS (vs. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
-18.18% - Parenthood
-29.17% - The New Normal (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
-36.11% - New Girl
-37.50% - The Mindy Project (vs. Raising Hope)
-37.50% - Hart of Dixie (vs. 90210)
-46.88% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee)
-50.00% - Emily Owens, MD (vs. Ringer)
-56.25% - Ben & Kate (vs. Glee)
-65.22% - Vegas (vs. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show)

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 4.0/10; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/7.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) tied "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/29/11):

CBS (12.11 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) bested the competition on Tuesday with its mix of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (12.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), a repeat of "NCIS" (13.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5) and "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (10.30 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1).

FOX (7.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "Glee" (7.84 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4), "New Girl" (7.60 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "Raising Hope" (5.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6).

Next up was NBC (6.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with a new "The Biggest Loser 12" (7.07 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6) and the fall finale of "Parenthood" (5.74 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9).

Meanwhile, ABC (7.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its combination of "Last Man Standing" (10.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6), "Man Up!" (6.59 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11), a repeat of "The Middle" (4.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), another repeat of "The Middle" (4.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) and a new "Body of Proof" (9.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10).

And finally, a new "90210" (1.57 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) led into the fall finale of "Ringer" (1.57 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.5 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.8 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - 90210
+20.00% - The Biggest Loser 12
+15.79% - Parenthood
+10.34% - Glee (vs. 11/15/11)
+9.09% - Raising Hope (vs. 11/15/11)
+2.86% - New Girl (vs. 11/15/11)
-10.53% - Man Up!
-11.11% - Last Man Standing
-14.29% - Ringer (vs. 11/15/11)
-14.29% - Body of Proof (vs. 11/15/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+71.43% - Raising Hope (vs. Running Wilde)
+33.33% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
+14.29% - Last Man Standing (vs. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Repeat))
+12.50% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
0.00% - The Biggest Loser 12 (vs. Christmas in Rockefeller Center/The Biggest Loser)
-11.11% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-24.14% - Parenthood (vs. The Biggest Loser)
-25.00% - Ringer (vs. Life Unexpected)
-28.89% - Glee
-29.17% - Man Up! (vs. Shrek the Halls (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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/8; 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," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.2/5; 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" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

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