nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, march 18, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (4.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) squeezed out the adults 18-49 crown on Friday with its coverage of "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game #1" (5.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1), an "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.06 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game #2" (4.00 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

FOX (3.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then was a tight second place with fresh installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) and "Fringe" (3.80 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

Next up was ABC (4.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with the series finale of "Supernanny" (4.50 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) followed by new episodes of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) and "20/20" (4.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.13 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a repeat of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.33 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) followed by a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (7.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

And finally, repeats of "Smallville" (1.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11) and "Supernatural" (1.32 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (1.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Primetime: What Would You Do? (7.10%), Supernanny (-9.10%), Kitchen Nightmares (-11.80%), 20/20 (-12.50%), Fringe (-13.30%), Dateline NBC (-15.20%).

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," 3.4/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.7/5 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.8/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/19/10):

Day two of the "NCAA Basketball Championship" (9.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) put CBS (9.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) in front on Friday.

NBC (6.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (7.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and "Dateline NBC" (6.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5).

Next up was FOX (4.05 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) with a repeat of "House" (3.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6) and a new "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.38 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2).

Meanwhile, ABC (5.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up part one of "Thin Ice" (4.06 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #8) followed by new episodes of "20/20" (4.88 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #7) and another "20/20" (6.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4).

And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (1.33 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #9) and "High Society" (0.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) on The CW (1.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research