nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, june 26, 2013)

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

FOX (5.735 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) held onto the top spot on Wednesday thanks to new episodes of "MasterChef" (5.355 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2) and a second "MasterChef" (6.115 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

CBS (5.660 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the return of "Big Brother 15" (6.308 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2), the relocated "The American Baking Competition" (5.054 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4) and a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (5.618 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4).

Next up was NBC (4.450 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its mix of "Dateline NBC" (5.478 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.959 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Chicago Fire" (2.912 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.348 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up its lineup of "The Middle" (3.605 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Family Tools" (2.855 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), "Modern Family" (3.620 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7), the departing "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (2.994 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) and "The Lookout" (3.507 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (1.499 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "Supernatural" (1.232 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (1.365 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. 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.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - MasterChef - 9:00
+5.00% - MasterChef - 8:00
0.00% - The American Baking Competition
-10.00% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
-18.18% - The Lookout
-22.22% - Family Tools

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+133.33% - Big Brother 15 (vs. Dogs in the City)
+20.00% - MasterChef - 9:00 (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
+5.00% - MasterChef - 8:00 (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-10.00% - The Lookout (vs. Final Witness)
-12.50% - Family Tools (vs. Suburgatory (Repeat))
-14.29% - The American Baking Competition (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
-30.77% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Modern Family (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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5.

· 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; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 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 with an encore telecast) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore) tied "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (6/27/12):

NBC (9.31 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) pulled into the top spot on Wednesday with its coverage of the "U.S. Olympic Team Trials" (7.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) followed by a special two-hour "America's Got Talent" (10.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1).

FOX (5.56 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then had to settle for second place with its two-hour "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2).

Next up was CBS (5.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) with a new "Dogs in the City" (4.68 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (5.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (3.70 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9), "Suburgatory" (3.06 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Modern Family" (3.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and another "Modern Family" (3.69 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) followed by the debut of "Final Witness" (4.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (0.72 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and another "America's Next Top Model" (0.60 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) once again closed out the evening for The CW (0.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-10.00% - Dogs in the City
-16.67% - So You Think You Can Dance

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+5.26% - So You Think You Can Dance
-9.68% - America's Got Talent (vs. America's Got Talent/Love in the Wild)
-16.67% - Final Witness (vs. Primetime Nightline)
-25.00% - Dogs in the City (vs. Undercover Boss (Repeat))
-45.71% - U.S. Olympic Team Trials (vs. The Voice)

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

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" scored its highest rating in metered-market households (3.2/8) since January 11 and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5) delivered its top Wednesday rating since February 29. Wednesday's "Tonight" featured Mila Kunis, Jim Norton and musical guest Justin Bieber. "Late Night" guests included Salma Hayek Pinault, Aaron Sorkin, The Jacksons and musical guest LMFAO, and Angelo Moore sat in with The Roots.

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research