nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, april 23, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (12.907 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) pulled into the top spots on Tuesday with its mix of "NCIS" (16.760 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (13.949 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) and "Golden Boy" (8.013 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

NBC (6.178 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then had to settle for second place with a new "The Voice" (12.445 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) and the departing "Ready for Love" (3.045 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9).

Next up was ABC (8.846 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) with its lineup of "Splash" (4.865 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10), "Dancing with the Stars" (12.354 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) and "Body of Proof" (9.320 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.498 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) offered up an original "Hell's Kitchen" (4.706 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5) alongside repeats of "New Girl" (2.532 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8) and "The Mindy Project" (2.048 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, a new "Hart of Dixie" (1.217 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.877 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) closed out the night over on The CW (1.047 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 0.5 rating while "Model" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+7.14% - Body of Proof
+3.85% - NCIS (vs. 4/9/13)
0.00% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. 4/9/13)
0.00% - Hell's Kitchen
0.00% - Splash
-4.76% - Dancing with the Stars
-6.67% - Golden Boy
-7.69% - Ready for Love
-11.11% - The Voice
-20.00% - Hart of Dixie

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+81.82% - The Voice (vs. The Biggest Loser 13)
+52.94% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat))
+35.00% - NCIS (vs. NCIS (Repeat))
-6.67% - Golden Boy (vs. Unforgettable (Repeat))
-16.67% - Dancing with the Stars
-21.43% - Splash (vs. Last Man Standing (Repeat)/Cougar Town)
-29.63% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. Glee)
-31.82% - Body of Proof (vs. Private Practice)
-33.33% - Hart of Dixie (vs. 90210)
-50.00% - Ready for Love (vs. The Voice/Fashion Star)

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/6 with an encore.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4 with an encore.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/5 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 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 (4/24/12):

FOX (5.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) claimed the top spot in a tight race on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "Glee" (6.85 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and "New Girl" (5.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) followed by a repeat of "New Girl" (3.27 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10).

NBC (6.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then had to settle for second place with original installments of "The Biggest Loser 13" (6.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5), "The Voice" (8.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) - matching its series low - and "Fashion Star" (4.64 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9).

Next up was ABC (9.28 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with a repeat of "Last Man Standing" (5.66 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) followed by new episodes of "Cougar Town" (4.99 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), "Dancing With the Stars" (14.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) and "Private Practice" (8.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5).

Meanwhile, CBS (9.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up repeats of "NCIS" (12.32 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (9.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8) and "Unforgettable" (7.69 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10).

And finally, the return of "90210" (1.17 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) led into the premiere of "The L.A. Complex" (0.65 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (0.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Complex" posted a 0.5 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+29.41% - Private Practice
+12.50% - Glee
+7.14% - Cougar Town
+6.67% - Fashion Star
0.00% - Dancing With the Stars
0.00% - The Biggest Loser 13
-3.03% - The Voice
-3.70% - New Girl
-14.29% - 90210 (vs. 3/27/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-4.35% - Private Practice (vs. Body of Proof)
-14.29% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-18.52% - The Biggest Loser 13
-20.59% - Glee
-23.53% - New Girl (vs. Glee)
-25.00% - The L.A. Complex (vs. Hellcats)
-31.43% - Dancing With the Stars
-37.25% - The Voice
-37.50% - Cougar Town (vs. Dancing With the Stars: Road to the Finals)
-68.63% - Fashion Star (vs. The Voice)

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/6.

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," 1.0/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/6 in metered-market households) 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" (0.7/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," featuring a guest appearance by President Barack Obama, scored the show's top metered-market household rating for a Tuesday telecast in two years (since March 2, 2010) and matched "Late Night's" highest adult 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters since June 14, 2011. Versus "Late Night's" Tuesday season averages, last night's telecast is up 29 percent in metered-market households (with a 1.8 rating vs. a 1.4) and up 40 percent in the Local People Meters (0.7 in 18-49 vs. 0.5).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.1/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research