nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, may 4, 2012)

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

ABC (5.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) pulled off a narrow victory on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.96 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.69 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) and "20/20" (5.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2).

CBS (8.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then placed a competitive second place with the penultimate weeks of "Undercover Boss" (6.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3), "CSI: NY" (8.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (10.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3).

Next up was NBC (4.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its combination of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.90 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10), "Grimm" (4.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (5.03 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) took a dip with original episodes of "The Finder" (3.96 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and "Fringe" (2.85 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.24 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.58 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+21.43% - Shark Tank
+18.18% - Dateline NBC
+16.67% - Supernatural
+7.14% - 20/20
0.00% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - Nikita
-7.14% - CSI: NY
-7.14% - Grimm
-9.09% - The Finder
-10.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-12.50% - Undercover Boss
-18.18% - Fringe

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+41.67% - Shark Tank
+27.27% - Undercover Boss (vs. Flashpoint)
+16.67% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+12.50% - Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. Friday Night Lights)
-6.67% - Blue Bloods
-11.76% - 20/20
-13.33% - CSI: NY
-18.75% - Dateline NBC
-18.75% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-22.22% - Supernatural
-25.00% - Fringe
-37.50% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)
-50.00% - 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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 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 (5/6/11):

CBS (8.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) was Friday's most-watched network with the return of "Flashpoint" (6.89 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) followed by new episodes of "CSI: NY" (9.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4) and "Blue Bloods" (10.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4).

ABC (4.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) then took home the silver in said category with fresh installments of "Shark Tank" (4.48 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "20/20" (6.09 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

Next up was FOX (3.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) with a new "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) followed by the season finale of "Fringe" (3.30 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up new episodes of "Friday Night Lights" (2.72 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and "Dateline NBC" (5.88 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2).

And finally, the penultimate weeks of "Smallville" (2.00 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and "Supernatural" (2.08 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) on The CW (2.04 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Dateline NBC (33.30%), Friday Night Lights (33.30%), Kitchen Nightmares (23.10%), 20/20 (13.30%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (9.10% vs. 4/22/11), Shark Tank (0.00%), Supernatural (0.00%), Smallville (0.00%), Blue Bloods (-6.30%), Fringe (-7.70%), CSI: NY (-11.80%).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets (the Birmingham market is delayed), 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," 3.3/7; 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; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 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" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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