nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 1, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (11.075 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) was still the network to beat on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (11.075 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2).

The silver then went to CBS (9.447 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) with originals from "Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites" (9.065 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3), "Criminal Minds" (9.966 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.310 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

Next up was ABC (6.570 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with a new "The Middle" (7.274 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6), the debut of "Family Tools" (5.766 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11) and fresh installments from "Modern Family" (9.535 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (6.248 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T3) and "Nashville" (5.299 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.881 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up a special "The Voice" (5.574 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) followed by new episodes of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.718 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T11) and "Chicago Fire" (6.351 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8).

And finally, The CW (2.462 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening with new episodes of "Arrow" (2.805 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Supernatural" (2.118 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+46.67% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
+6.25% - Chicago Fire
0.00% - The Middle
-5.56% - Nashville
-7.89% - Modern Family
-10.00% - Arrow
-10.00% - Supernatural
-12.50% - American Idol
-14.81% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
-16.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-23.33% - Criminal Minds
-25.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+200.00% - Arrow (vs. The L.A. Complex (Repeat))
+125.00% - Supernatural (vs. America's Next Top Model)
+50.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+18.52% - The Voice (vs. Betty White's Off Their Rockers/Betty White's Off Their Rockers)
0.00% - The Middle
-5.56% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-8.00% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
-8.33% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23)
-12.50% - Modern Family
-19.05% - Nashville (vs. Revenge)
-21.74% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-23.33% - Criminal Minds
-25.00% - Family Tools (vs. Suburgatory)
-39.13% - American Idol

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

* 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," 0.6/3.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). 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 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/2 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 (5/2/12):

FOX (16.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) as usual was the network to beat on Wednesday with another two-hour "American Idol" (16.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1).

Claiming the silver then was CBS (10.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with new episodes of "Survivor: One World" (9.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4) - its series low (excluding specials), "Criminal Minds" (11.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) - tied as its series low.

Next up was ABC (7.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) and its all-original lineup of "The Middle" (6.61 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8) - its season low, "Suburgatory" (5.80 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8) - tied as its series low, "Modern Family" (9.95 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) - its season low, "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (5.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and "Revenge" (7.09 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7) - tied as its series low.

Meanwhile, NBC (5.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up a new "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.01 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12) - its lowest rating to date, a second "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (4.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11) plus "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.19 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.45 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10).

And finally, an encore of "The L.A. Complex" (0.86 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.05 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (0.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Complex" posted a 0.4 rating while "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
+12.50% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+11.11% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+5.00% - Revenge
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Modern Family (vs. 4/18/12)
0.00% - Criminal Minds (vs. 4/11/12)
0.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 4/11/12)
0.00% - Suburgatory (vs. 4/18/12)
-3.85% - Survivor: One World
-4.76% - The Middle (vs. 4/11/12)
-18.75% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
-20.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:30 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+35.48% - Revenge (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Happy Endings (10:30))
+30.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers - 8:00 (vs. Minute to Win It)
+25.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+9.09% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
+5.26% - Modern Family
+4.55% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
0.00% - The Middle
-6.25% - Criminal Minds
-15.29% - American Idol (vs. American Idol 10/Breaking In)
-16.67% - Survivor: One World
-28.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-55.56% - America's Next Top Model

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.1/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/7; 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," 0.7/3; "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" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.6/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research