nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, august 3, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

NBC (26.89 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1) was still the network to beat on Friday despite a low for the "2012 Summer Olympics" (26.90 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.1, #1).

ABC (3.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) then was a distant second with repeats of "Shark Tank" (3.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2), "20/20" (3.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) and another "20/20" (3.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3).

Next up was CBS (3.02 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) with second runs of "Undercover Boss" (3.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3), "CSI: NY" (2.68 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8) and "Blue Bloods" (3.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) offered up repeats of the departing "House" (1.58 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6) plus "Bones" (2.05 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (0.65 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and a second "Nikita" (0.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11) on The CW (0.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night.

[NOTE #1: Late-night metered market ratings will return after the Olympics.]

[NOTE #2: Today's numbers are courtesy of TVMediaInsights.com due to delays from our usual sources.]

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/5/11):

ABC (3.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1) clinged to the demo crown on Friday with its lineup of "Shark Tank" (3.67 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T4), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (3.52 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T4) and "20/20" (4.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1).

CBS (5.99 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T2) then was the most-watched network with a new "Flashpoint" (6.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) followed by repeats of "CSI: NY" (5.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #7) and "Blue Bloods" (5.88 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T4).

Next up was NBC (3.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T2) with the one-hour launch of "Friends With Benefits" (2.18 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9) and a new two-hour "Dateline NBC" (4.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up its final week of "Bones" (2.87 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #8) and "House" (2.08 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9) repeats.

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (0.87 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T11) and "Supernatural" (0.88 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T11) on The CW (0.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (8.3%), Flashpoint (-8.3%), Dateline NBC (-14.3%).

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research