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 (9/24/14):

CBS (8.316 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday thanks to the 90-minute premiere of "Survivor: San Juan del Sur" (9.648 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) followed by the 90-minute finale of "Big Brother 16" (6.983 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4).

ABC (7.897 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then claimed the silver with its premiere mix of "The Middle" (7.392 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6), "The Goldbergs" (6.969 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5), "Modern Family" (10.935 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1), "Black-ish" (10.794 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "Nashville" (5.647 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T9).

Next up was NBC (9.475 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with week two of "The Mysteries of Laura" (9.874 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T9) followed by the return of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10.098 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Chicago PD" (8.454 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.525 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) served up originals from "Hell's Kitchen" (3.665 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "Red Band Society" (3.385 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, the season finale of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.510 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and a repeat "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.382 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) closed out the evening on The CW (1.446 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.4 rating while the latter posted a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+18.18% - Big Brother 16
-7.14% - Hell's Kitchen
-16.67% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
-23.08% - Red Band Society
-28.57% - The Mysteries of Laura

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. Arrow (Repeat))
+11.59% - Big Brother 16 (vs. Criminal Minds/CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
+9.31% - Survivor: San Juan del Sur (vs. Survivor: Blood vs. Water/Criminal Minds)
+4.55% - The Goldbergs (vs. Back in the Game)
-7.50% - Modern Family
-12.50% - The Middle
-16.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-16.67% - The Mysteries of Laura (vs. Revolution)
-21.43% - Black-ish (vs. Modern Family)
-28.57% - Nashville
-34.48% - Chicago PD (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-45.83% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. The X Factor)
-61.54% - Red Band Society (vs. The X Factor)

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5; 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 Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

· 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 Seth Meyers" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4). 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 and a 0.2/2 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 (9/25/13):

ABC (8.797 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) topped a tight demo race on Wednesday with the return of "The Middle" (8.756 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T7) followed by the premiere "Back in the Game" (7.885 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #10) - ABC's lowest-rated fall comedy premiere since 2009 ("Hank"), the season debut of "Modern Family" (11.434 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) - lowest-rated premiere ever, a second "Modern Family" (11.462 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) and the return of "Nashville" (6.623 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T11).

FOX (7.606 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "The X Factor" (7.293 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T7) followed by a second "The X Factor" (7.920 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5).

Next up was CBS (9.888 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T3) with week two of "Survivor: Blood vs. Water" (9.413 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9) - its series low - followed by the season premieres of "Criminal Minds" (11.289 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (8.962 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T11) - both their lowest-rated premieres ever.

Meanwhile, NBC (8.597 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T3) served up the return of "Revolution" (6.785 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.8, #13) - matching its series low, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9.070 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6) and a second "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9.936 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) - its best 18-49 numbers since 5/18/11.

And finally, a repeat "Arrow" (1.180 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and the season finale of "Capture" (0.631 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.906 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Capture" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - The X Factor - 8:00
+13.04% - The X Factor - 9:00
-11.54% - Survivor: Blood vs. Water

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+31.25% - Nashville (vs. Revenge: The First Chapter)
+27.27% - Modern Family - 9:30 (vs. The Neighbors)
+26.09% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - 10:00
+25.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - 9:00
+20.00% - Revolution (vs. Animal Practice/Guys With Kids)
-9.68% - Criminal Minds
-11.11% - The Middle
-16.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-22.58% - The X Factor - 8:00
-23.33% - Survivor: Blood vs. Water
-24.14% - Back in the Game (vs. The Middle)
-27.27% - Modern Family - 9:00
-27.78% - The X Factor - 9:00
-33.33% - Capture (vs. Supernatural (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," 2.8/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/3; 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 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). 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 1.0/5 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research