nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, march 30, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (9.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) edged out the competition on Friday thanks to a new "Undercover Boss" (8.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), the return of "CSI: NY" (9.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and a new "Blue Bloods" (10.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3).

ABC (5.58 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) then was a close second place with a repeat of "Shark Tank" (4.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) followed by new episodes of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.02 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "20/20" (6.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) - a season high.

Next up was FOX (3.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with the season finale of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.90 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) alongside a new "Fringe" (3.11 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up originals of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Grimm" (4.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (4.58 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

And finally on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5), new episodes of "Nikita" (1.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.72 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Fringe
+33.33% - Dateline NBC
+31.25% - 20/20
+20.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
+16.67% - Supernatural
-5.88% - CSI: NY (vs. 2/10/12)
-6.25% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-11.11% - Blue Bloods (vs. 3/9/12)
-18.18% - Undercover Boss (vs. 3/9/12)
-20.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-20.00% - Nikita
-20.00% - Grimm (vs. 3/9/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+71.43% - Fringe (vs. Fringe (Repeat))
+63.64% - Undercover Boss (vs. Chaos)
+40.00% - 20/20
+40.00% - Supernatural (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (Repeat))
0.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do? (vs. 20/20)
-5.88% - CSI: NY
-5.88% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-7.69% - Dateline NBC
-20.00% - Nikita (vs. Smallville (Repeat))
-38.46% - Who Do You Think You Are?

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 4.0/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.4/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-4) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 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 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/1/11):

CBS (9.13 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) won the tight demo race on Friday with the premiere of "Chaos" (6.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8) followed by the post-NCAA returns of "CSI: NY" (10.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) and "Blue Bloods" (10.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1). Said launch was down more than 26% from the season finale of previous time period holder "The Defenders" (9.03 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.5 on 3/11/11).

ABC (5.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home a competitive second place with a new "Shark Tank" (4.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) followed by a special two-hour "20/20" (5.61 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

Next up was NBC (5.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (6.01 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4) and "Dateline NBC" (5.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.85 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Fringe" (1.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9).

And finally, The CW (1.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) did the same with "Smallville" (1.23 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10) and "Supernatural" (1.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (8.90%), Who Do You Think You Are? (0.00%), Shark Tank (0.00%), Blue Bloods (-10.50% vs. 3/11/11), CSI: NY (-15.00% vs. 3/11/11), Dateline NBC (-29.20%).

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," 2.6/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 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; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research