nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, december 26, 2012)

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

CBS (8.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the top draw on Wednesday thanks to a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (8.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) plus "The 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors" (8.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

Second place then went to NBC (4.28 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) with its all-repeat lineup of "Whitney" (3.53 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8), "Guys With Kids" (2.88 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) and "Chicago Fire" (4.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T5).

Next up was ABC (3.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with second runs of "The Middle" (4.73 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T5), "The Neighbors" (4.13 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8), "Modern Family" (5.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1), "Suburgatory" (3.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T5) and "Nashville" (2.66 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up its marathon lineup of "Ben & Kate" (1.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), another "Ben & Kate" (1.52 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), yet another "Ben & Kate" (1.24 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13) and even more "Ben & Kate" (1.36 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (1.89 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and "Supernatural" (1.27 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #17) on The CW (1.58 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-36.36% - The 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (Criminal Minds (Repeat)/CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Repeat))

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

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/28/11):

CBS (9.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) won the repeat race on Wednesday with its mix of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (9.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4), "Criminal Minds" (10.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2).

ABC (4.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its lineup of "The Middle" (5.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6), "Suburgatory" (4.65 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5), "Modern Family" (5.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3), "Happy Endings" (3.45 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #7) and "Revenge" (2.60 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15).

Next up was FOX (2.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with encores of "Raising Hope" (2.50 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11), another "Raising Hope" (2.32 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13), "New Girl" (2.55 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) and another "New Girl" (2.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up repeats of "Up All Night" (3.45 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), "Whitney" (2.74 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T13), "Harry's Law" (3.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.68 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11).

And finally, the feature "According to Greta" (1.21 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.4, #17) closed out the night on The CW (1.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film posted a 0.6 rating.

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," 2.6/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/6; 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," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 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