nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, december 2, 2011)

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

CBS (9.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was the network to beat on Friday thanks to the fall finales of "A Gifted Man" (8.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "CSI: NY" (9.73 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (10.97 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

FOX (4.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then claimed the silver with its coverage of "College Football: Pac-12 Championship Game" (4.31 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3).

Next up was ABC (4.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with fresh installments of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.62 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7), another "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and mainstay "20/20" (4.54 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.82 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up the original movie "Game of Your Life" (2.20 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #10) followed by a new "Dateline NBC" (4.06 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8).

And finally, the fall finales of "Nikita" (1.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #11) and "Supernatural" (1.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9) on The CW (1.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - 20/20
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. 11/18/11)
0.00% - Supernatural (vs. 11/18/11)
-7.69% - A Gifted Man (vs. 11/18/11)
-12.50% - CSI: NY (vs. 11/18/11)
-13.33% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. 11/18/11)
-16.67% - Nikita (vs. 11/18/11)
-20.00% - Blue Bloods (vs. 11/18/11)
-33.33% - Dateline NBC (vs. 11/18/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+42.86% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
-5.88% - Blue Bloods
-7.14% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-14.29% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-17.65% - CSI: NY
-30.00% - Supernatural
-31.58% - 20/20
-54.55% - Nikita (vs. Smallville)

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

[NOTE: 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 (12/3/10):

CBS (9.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) slipped by ABC (5.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Medium" (6.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4), "CSI: NY" (10.19 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.36 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2).

The Alphabet then offered up its mix of "Supernanny" (4.20 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.81 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) and "20/20" (6.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1).

Next up was The CW (2.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with fresh installments of "Smallville" (2.79 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and "Supernatural" (2.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up its "Family Movie Night" presentation of "A Walk In My Shoes" (4.49 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8) followed by an abbreviated "Dateline NBC" (3.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10).

And finally, a repeat of "The Good Guys" (1.99 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) led into a new "The Good Guys" (2.45 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) on FOX (2.22 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (72.70%), Supernatural (11.10% vs. 11/19/10), CSI: NY (6.30% vs. 11/19/10), Blue Bloods (6.30% vs. 11/19/10), Smallville (0.00% vs. 11/19/10), The Good Guys (0.00% vs. 11/19/10), Medium (0.00% vs. 11/19/10), Supernanny (0.00% vs. 11/19/10), Primetime: What Would You Do? (-12.50% vs. 11/19/10), Dateline NBC (-41.70% vs. 11/19/10).

Source: Nielsen Media Research