nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, december 12, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) inched out a victory among adults 18-49 on Wednesday with its mix of "Survivor: Philippines" (10.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "Criminal Minds" (11.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) - its series low.

A competitive second place then went to FOX (7.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with originals from "The X Factor" (7.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) and a second "The X Factor" (7.78 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4).

Next up was ABC (7.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "The Middle" (7.47 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) - a season low, "The Neighbors" (5.47 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) - its series low - and "Modern Family" (10.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) - tied its season low - plus "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012" (7.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "Whitney" (3.77 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10), a repeat of "Guys With Kids" (2.72 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13), night three of "Take It All" (3.39 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) and a new "Chicago Fire" (4.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) - tied as its series low.

And finally, the fall finale of "Arrow" (3.13 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) - tied as its series low - and a rebroadcast of "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (1.62 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (2.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.8 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Victoria's" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+7.69% - Whitney
+3.33% - Criminal Minds
-3.45% - Survivor: Philippines
-4.35% - The Middle
-6.90% - The X Factor - 9:00
-7.14% - The X Factor - 8:00
-9.09% - Arrow
-10.64% - Modern Family (vs. 11/28/12)
-15.38% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 11/28/12)
-15.79% - The Neighbors
-26.32% - Chicago Fire

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+150.00% - Arrow (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
+82.61% - Modern Family (vs. Modern Family (Repeat))
+37.50% - Take It All (vs. Harry's Law (Repeat))
+29.41% - The Middle (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
+16.67% - Whitney (vs. Up All Night (Repeat))
+16.67% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+1.89% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. The X Factor/I Hate My Teenage Daughter)
-5.88% - The Neighbors (vs. Suburgatory (Repeat))
-8.70% - Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012
-8.82% - Criminal Minds
-9.68% - Survivor: Philippines
-23.53% - The X Factor - 8:00
-26.67% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 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" (0.4/3 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 (12/14/11):

CBS (11.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) slipped into the top spot on Wednesday with new episodes of "Survivor: South Pacific" (10.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3), "Criminal Minds" (12.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T1) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (12.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4).

FOX (9.33 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then had to settle for second place with fresh installments of "The X Factor" (10.69 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T1) and "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (5.25 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7).

Next up was ABC (7.16 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (6.16 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8), "Suburgatory" (5.21 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8) and "Modern Family" (6.61 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T5) followed by "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011" (8.34 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) was out of the hunt with its all-repeat lineup of "Up All Night" (3.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10), "Whitney" (3.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Harry's Law" (4.07 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.36 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10).

And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (1.27 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (1.61 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) on The CW (1.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating while "Secret" posted a 1.0 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
+3.03% - The X Factor
0.00% - Criminal Minds
-6.06% - Survivor: South Pacific
-9.52% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+81.82% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target/Hell's Kitchen)
+50.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. The Defenders)
+6.25% - Criminal Minds
-11.43% - Survivor: South Pacific
-26.92% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. Hell's Kitchen)

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.7/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's first-run "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 with an encore) tied "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