 " Big Brother " was first broadcast on April 10 , 2012 , in the United States on Fox . It received a 2 @.@ 7 / 8 Nielsen rating / share in the 18 – 49 demographic , and attracted 6 @.@ 76 million American viewers during its initial airing , a decrease of approximately 10 % from the 3 @.@ 0 / 8 rating / share and 7 @.@ 46 million viewers of the previous episode , " On My Way " , which was broadcast on February 21 , 2012 . Viewership increased in Canada , where 1 @.@ 79 million viewers watched the episode on the same day as its American premiere . It was the tenth most @-@ viewed show of the week , up five slots and almost 3 % from the 1 @.@ 74 million viewers who watched " On My Way " seven weeks previously . 
