nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, march 16, 2012)

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

CBS (6.20 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) was the network to beat on Friday with its primetime coverage of "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke vs. Lehigh" (6.20 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (8.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Notre Dame vs. Xavier" (4.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3).

ABC (5.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then had to settle for second place with its mix of "Shark Tank" (6.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "20/20" (5.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6).

Next up was FOX (2.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with a full night of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.64 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7) encores.

Meanwhile, NBC (4.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up repeats of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.24 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T9) and "Grimm" (3.39 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T9) followed by a new "Dateline NBC" (4.60 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.53 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and "Supernatural" (1.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T9) on The CW (1.61 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+13.33% - Shark Tank
+7.69% - 20/20
0.00% - Supernatural (vs. 2/17/12)
-16.67% - Nikita (vs. 2/17/12)
-28.57% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+121.43% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update
+70.00% - Shark Tank (vs. Supernanny)
+40.00% - Supernatural (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
+31.25% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Duke vs. Lehigh (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game #1)
+26.67% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Notre Dame vs. Xavier (vs. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game #2)
0.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
0.00% - 20/20
-16.67% - Nikita (vs. Smallville (Repeat))
-28.57% - Dateline NBC

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," 1.7/5 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3 with an encore delayed by basketball).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 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 (3/18/11):

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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research