nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, august 8, 2013)

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

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (6.637 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) held onto the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.449 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (7.157 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3), "Big Brother 15" (7.078 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) and "Elementary" (5.028 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

NBC (4.951 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then snagged the silver with a repeat of "America's Got Talent" (4.957 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6) followed by the season finale of "The Winner Is" (5.190 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5) and a new "Hollywood Game Night" (4.707 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4).

Next up was ABC (4.695 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) and its original lineup of "Wipeout" (4.166 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "Motive" (4.778 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10) and "Rookie Blue" (5.140 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #7).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.340 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) served up repeats of "Glee" (2.516 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11), "New Girl" (2.201 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and "The Mindy Project" (2.127 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11).

And finally, second runs of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.722 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T15) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.803 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T15) on The CW (0.763 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Top Model" a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+55.56% - The Winner Is
+25.00% - Hollywood Game Night
+25.00% - Motive
+20.00% - Rookie Blue
0.00% - Big Brother 15
-8.33% - Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+19.05% - Big Brother 15
-20.00% - Rookie Blue
-31.25% - Wipeout (vs. Wipeout (Repeat))
-41.18% - Motive (vs. Wipeout)
-77.94% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. 2012 Summer Olympics)
-79.41% - The Winner Is (vs. 2012 Summer Olympics)

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," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5 with an encore; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.7/3, delayed by golf coverage). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1, delayed by golf coverage).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 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 (8/9/12):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL market preemptions, Fast Nationals for FOX, ABC and CBS are approximate.]

NBC (22.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.8, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday as its "2012 Summer Olympics" (22.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.8, #1) coverage fell to a primetime low.

CBS (5.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (6.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4), "Big Brother 14" (6.22 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) and "Person of Interest" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Next up was ABC (5.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with a repeat of "Wipeout" (5.34 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) followed by originals from "Wipeout" (4.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T4) and "Rookie Blue" (5.01 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

Next up was FOX (2.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) with rebroadcasts of "Raising Hope" (2.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), another "Raising Hope" (2.84 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and "Glee" (2.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, encores of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "The L.A. Complex" (0.63 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating while "Complex" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+30.77% - Wipeout
+10.53% - Big Brother 14
0.00% - Rookie Blue (vs. 7/26/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+7.14% - Rookie Blue
+6.25% - Wipeout (vs. Expedition Impossible)
-34.38% - Big Brother 14

Source: Nielsen Media Research