nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, april 8, 2011)

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

ABC (4.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) took home the adults 18-49 crown on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Shark Tank" (4.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.49 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) and "20/20" (5.09 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

CBS (8.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) and NBC (5.63 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) then split the silver as the latter offered up the season finale of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6) and a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.58 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4).

Next up was the Eye with week two of its mix of "Chaos" (5.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9), "CSI: NY" (9.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) and "Blue Bloods" (10.31 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.94 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) and "Fringe" (1.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

And finally, The CW (1.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) did the same with repeats of "Smallville" (1.91 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and "Supernatural" (1.52 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Dateline NBC (9.80%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (7.70% vs. 3/25/11), Who Do You Think You Are? (0.00%), Shark Tank (0.00%), 20/20 (-1.60%), CSI: NY (-5.90%), Blue Bloods (-11.80%), Chaos (-18.20%).

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," 3.1/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore delayed by golf; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore delayed by golf; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5 delayed by golf). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3 delayed by golf).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/9/10):

CBS (7.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on Friday with week two of its lineup of "Ghost Whisperer" (6.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3), "Medium" (7.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and "Miami Medical" (7.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5).

Second place then went to ABC (4.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) with a repeat of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (3.57 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) leading into new episodes of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (4.72 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) and "20/20" (4.83 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Sharing the silver was FOX (3.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) with a repeat of "House" (3.53 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and a first-run "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a repeat of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and a new "Dateline NBC" (5.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

And finally, a new "Smallville" (2.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (1.20 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (1.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research