nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, december 11, 2012)

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

NBC (8.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) took home the demo crown on Tuesday with its mix of "The Voice" (11.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "Take It All" (7.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) and "Parenthood" (5.71 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5).

CBS (14.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then was the most-watched network with its original lineup of "NCIS" (17.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) - its lowest original rating in nearly eight years (since 2/15/05), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (14.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) - its lowest-rated fall original ever - and "Vegas" (10.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9) - a series low.

Next up was FOX (3.39 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) and its combination of a new "Raising Hope" (4.03 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7), a repeat of "Ben & Kate" (2.27 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) plus new episodes of "New Girl" (4.24 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5) and "The Mindy Project" (3.03 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up its annual rebroadcast of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (5.64 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) followed by new episodes of "Happy Endings" (3.28 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (2.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and "Private Practice" (3.77 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12).

And finally, the fall finale of "Hart of Dixie" (1.42 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) and a repeat of "A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" (1.08 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) closed out the night over on The CW (1.25 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Muppets" posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+21.43% - Raising Hope
+17.65% - Parenthood
+7.69% - The Mindy Project
+2.94% - The Voice
0.00% - New Girl
0.00% - Happy Endings
0.00% - Private Practice
0.00% - Hart of Dixie
-6.25% - Vegas (vs. 11/27/12)
-10.34% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. 11/27/12)
-16.67% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
-20.00% - NCIS (vs. 11/27/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+191.67% - The Voice (vs. William & Kate: Inside the Royal Marriage)
+100.00% - Hart of Dixie (vs. 90210 (Repeat))
+9.09% - Private Practice (vs. Body of Proof (Repeat))
-13.33% - Happy Endings (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
-13.33% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-14.81% - Take It All (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
-20.00% - NCIS
-23.08% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Suburgatory (Repeat))
-25.93% - Parenthood (vs. The Biggest Loser 12)
-28.57% - Vegas (vs. Unforgettable)
-39.13% - The Mindy Project (vs. Raising Hope)
-39.39% - New Girl
-41.38% - Raising Hope (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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

* 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" (1.3/4). 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 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 (12/13/11):

CBS (15.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) was the most-watched network on Tuesday with fresh installments of "NCIS" (19.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Unforgettable" (11.20 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Sharing the demo crown then was FOX (6.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) with the fall finales of "Glee" (7.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "New Girl" (6.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "Raising Hope" (5.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6).

Next up was NBC (6.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with the special "William & Kate: Inside the Royal Marriage" (5.31 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the season finale of "The Biggest Loser 12" (7.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5). While the latter marked a season high, it was also "Loser's" lowest-rated fall finale ever.

Meanwhile, ABC (5.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up a new "Last Man Standing" (7.46 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) followed by repeats of "Last Man Standing" (6.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9), "The Middle" (4.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), "Suburgatory" (3.82 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "Body of Proof" (4.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.82 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Ringer" (0.60 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.4 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+22.73% - The Biggest Loser 12
+4.55% - Raising Hope
0.00% - NCIS
0.00% - NCIS: Los Angeles
0.00% - Glee
-2.94% - New Girl
-4.55% - Unforgettable
-15.38% - Last Man Standing

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+57.14% - New Girl (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+38.10% - Glee (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+37.50% - Last Man Standing (vs. Charlie Brown: I Want a Dog for Christmas (Repeat))
+9.52% - Raising Hope (vs. Glee (Repeat))
0.00% - Unforgettable (vs. The Good Wife)
-6.25% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-12.50% - NCIS
-32.50% - The Biggest Loser 12

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," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; 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," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research