At 8 p.m. ET, “Mercy” averaged a 1.8/5 in adults 18-49 and 6.8 million viewers overall, earning week-to-week gains of 6 percent in 18-49 (1.8 vs. 1.7) and 2 percent in total viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.6 million). From its first half-hour to its second, “Mercy” increased its rating by 12 percent in 18-49 (to a 1.9 from a 1.7), 14 percent in adults 25-54 (2.4 vs. 2.1) and 15 percent in women 25-54 (3.0 vs. 2.6).
“Mercy” is up 13 percent versus NBC’s 1.6 average in this slot for the traditional 2008-09 season. In total viewers, “Mercy” is up 18 percent versus NBC’s 5.737 million in the hour during the traditional ’08-09 season.
At 9 p.m. ET, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” averaged a 2.8/7 in adults 18-49 and 8.8 million viewers overall, matching its season-high rating in 18-49 and delivering its second-biggest overall audience of the season. Week to week, “Law & Order: SVU” is up 17 percent in 18-49 (2.8 vs. 2.4) and 11% in total viewers (8.8 million vs. 7.9 million). Last night’s “Law & Order: SVU” is up 65 percent in 18-49 versus NBC’s 1.7 average in this slot for the traditional 2008-09 season. In total viewers, “SVU” is up 50% versus NBC’s 5.854 million average in the hour during the traditional ’08-09 season.
Last night’s “Law & Order: SVU” equaled NBC’s top 18-49 rating in the time period during the traditional primetime season since October 1, 2008.
From 10-11 p.m. ET, “The Jay Leno Show” averaged a 1.4 rating, 4 share in adults 18-49; a 1.7/4 in adults 25-54 and 4.6 million viewers overall. Last night’s time-period competition included CBS’s “CSI: NY” and ABC’s “CMA Awards.”
“The Jay Leno Show” matched its 18-49 rating of the prior Wednesday and is up 6% in adults 25-54 (1.7 vs. 1.6).
Comparisons to Jay Leno’s 2008-09 average at 11:35 p.m. ET on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” are: in adults 18-49, 1.4 vs. 1.4; adults 25-54, 1.7 vs. 1.8; and total viewers, 4.6 million vs. 5.1 million. Comparisons with NBC’s Monday-through-Friday 10-11 p.m. ET non-sports averages over the 52 weeks prior to Jay’s debut are: in adults 18-49, 1.4 vs. 2.2; in adults 25-54, 1.7 vs. 2.7; and in total viewers, 4.6 million vs. 6.9 million.
In Late-Night Local People Meters Wednesday night:
Conan O’Brien (1.0/4 in 18-49 in local people meters) tied CBS’s LATE SHOW (1.0/4) in Nielsen’s 24 local markets with People Meters.
At 12:35 a.m., Jimmy Fallon (0.5/3 in 18-49 in local people meters) trailed CBS’s LATE LATE SHOW (0.6/4).
(source data from NBC release. ntoe: All national ratings are “live plus same day” unless otherwise indicated. Metered-market household ratings are “live only.”)
