Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (3/27/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (7.791 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thurdsay with its mix of "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Regional Semifinals - Dayton #11 vs. Stanford #10" (8.157 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T2), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (7.866 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T2) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Regional Semifinals - UCLA #4 vs. Florida #1" (7.206 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T2).

ABC (6.757 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with originals from "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (3.296 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), "Grey's Anatomy" (8.132 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T2) and "Scandal" (8.844 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1).

Next up was FOX (5.887 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with new episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.246 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7) and "American Idol" (7.942 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) followed by the premiere of "Surviving Jack" (5.115 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.252 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up repeats of "Hollywood Game Night" (4.637 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10), another "Hollywood Game Night" (3.727 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11) and a new "Parenthood" (4.393 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

And finally, The CW (1.608 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed out the evening with fresh installments of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.708 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) and "Reign" (1.507 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.1 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Parenthood
+12.50% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
+6.90% - Scandal
+5.88% - Hell's Kitchen
+4.17% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - American Idol
-14.29% - Reign
-30.00% - The Vampire Diaries

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+47.06% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
+40.00% - Parenthood (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+35.71% - American Idol (vs. Raising Hope)
+19.23% - Scandal
+19.05% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Regional Semifinals - Dayton #11 vs. Stanford #10
+8.33% - Surviving Jack (vs. Raising Hope)
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-10.71% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.79% - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Regional Semifinals - UCLA #4 vs. Florida #1
-33.33% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-35.71% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (vs. Wife Swap)
-41.67% - The Vampire Diaries

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

·In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.3/5 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "Tonight," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 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 Seth Meyers" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/4 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/28/13):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

FOX (7.530 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) was the most-watched network on Thursday thanks to a new "American Idol" (11.029 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) followed by a new "Raising Hope" (4.566 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and the season finale of "Raising Hope" (3.496 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9).

ABC (7.053 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) however snagged the demo crown with its mix of "Wife Swap" (4.274 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7), "Grey's Anatomy" (8.832 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) and "Scandal" (8.053 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4).

CBS (6.917 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) likewise shared top adults 18-49 honors with its coverage of "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Marquette vs. Miami" (6.569 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (5.276 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Syracuse vs. Indiana" (8.261 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1).

Next up was NBC (2.621 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) with a repeat of "Community" (2.353 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), a new "1600 Penn" (1.894 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), a repeat of "The Office" (1.662 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), the season finale of "1600 Penn" (1.889 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and a repeat "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.964 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.426 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.554 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16) on The CW (1.990 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-3.45% - Grey's Anatomy
-3.57% - American Idol
-3.70% - Scandal
-6.67% - Raising Hope - 9:00 (vs. 2/26/13)
-12.50% - 1600 Penn - 9:30
-14.29% - Raising Hope - 9:30 (vs. 2/26/13)
-14.29% - Beauty and the Beast
-17.65% - Wife Swap
-22.22% - 1600 Penn - 8:30

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+188.89% - Scandal (vs. Private Practice (Repeat))
+133.33% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
+9.09% - The Vampire Diaries
+7.41% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Syracuse vs. Indiana (vs. The Mentalist)
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Secret Circle)
0.00% - Wife Swap (vs. Missing)
-35.71% - American Idol
-40.51% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Marquette vs. Miami (vs. The Big Bang Theory/Rules of Engagement/Person of Interest)
-46.15% - 1600 Penn - 9:30 (vs. Up All Night)
-48.48% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update (vs. Person of Interest)
-50.00% - Raising Hope - 9:00 (vs. Touch)
-53.33% - 1600 Penn - 8:30 (vs. 30 Rock)
-57.14% - Raising Hope - 9:30 (vs. Touch)

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research