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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (3/26/15):

CBS (7.790 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its second week of "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (7.114 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) coverage followed by "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (6.130 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5) and more "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (9.634 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

ABC (7.251 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with its trio of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.162 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3), "Scandal" (8.052 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and "American Crime" (5.539 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Next up was NBC (5.897 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and its combination of "Dateline NBC" (6.275 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9), "The Blacklist" (7.988 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) and "The Slap" (3.429 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.693 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) served up the return of "Bones" (5.748 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7) and "Backstrom" (3.638 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.689 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "The Flash" (0.679 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.684 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Flash" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - Bones (vs. 12/11/14)
+4.76% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - American Crime
0.00% - The Slap
-4.17% - Scandal
-10.00% - Backstrom (vs. 3/5/15)
-11.11% - The Blacklist
-16.67% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+144.44% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland)
+45.45% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night (Repeat))
-8.00% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-16.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. Hollywood Game Night (Repeat))
-27.78% - Bones (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-43.75% - Backstrom (vs. American Idol/Surviving Jack)
-50.00% - The Slap (vs. Parenthood)
-61.29% - American Crime (vs. Scandal)

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.2/4 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.4/6.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 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" (1.1/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden " (0.8/4 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 with James Corden" (0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research