nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, december 24, 2012)

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

NBC (5.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the top draw on Christmas Eve with its presentation of "It's a Wonderful Life" (5.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1).

CBS (4.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T2) then claimed the silver with its all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (3.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7), another "How I Met Your Mother" (3.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5), "2 Broke Girls" (4.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2), "Mike & Molly" (4.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2) and "Hawaii Five-0" (4.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T5).

Next up was ABC (3.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T2) with encores of "Disney Prep & Landing" (3.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7), "Shrek the Halls" (3.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) and "Shrek the Third" (3.37 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up its marathon of "Raising Hope" (1.86 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10), another "Raising Hope" (1.43 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12), yet another "Raising Hope" (1.54 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and even more "Raising Hope" (1.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

And finally, The CW (0.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening with its telecasts of "Christmas Is Here Again" (0.76 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Second Star to the Left: A Christmas Tale" (0.61 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Again" delivered a 0.3 rating and "Tale" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/26/11):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local sports preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (6.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) took home top honors on Monday with its all-repeat mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (5.93 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4), "2 Broke Girls" (6.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (8.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1), "Mike & Molly" (7.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) and "Hawaii Five-0" (6.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6).

NBC (5.04 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Who's Still Standing?" (6.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5), a repeat of "Fear Factor" (4.75 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.46 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9).

Next up was ABC (3.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) and its lineup of "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (3.26 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9), the season finale of "You Deserve It" (3.64 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8) and a repeat of "Castle" (4.37 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up a repeat of "House" (2.96 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) and a second "House" (2.77 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13).

And finally, the feature "The Education of Charlie Banks" (0.74 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.74 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.33% - Who's Still Standing?
-9.09% - You Deserve It
-25.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+112.50% - Who's Still Standing? (vs. Chuck (Repeat))
+28.57% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Chuck (Repeat))
-41.18% - You Deserve It (vs. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (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," 2.3/5 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.5/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/3 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/2 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research