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[05/12/12 - 09:05 AM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Finales Top Viewers, ABC Leads Demos
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, may 11, 2012)

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

ABC (4.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the top demo draw on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.55 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.79 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1) and "20/20" (4.65 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

CBS (8.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then remained the most-watched network thanks to the season finales of "Undercover Boss" (5.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7), "CSI: NY" (9.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Blue Bloods" (10.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4).

Next up was NBC (4.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and its original mix of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.76 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Grimm" (4.48 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5) and "Dateline NBC" (4.64 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) served up the season finales of "The Finder" (4.16 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Fringe" (3.17 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

And finally, The CW (1.53 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening with new episodes of "Nikita" (1.38 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.68 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+11.11% - Fringe
+10.00% - The Finder
0.00% - Supernatural
0.00% - Nikita
-5.88% - Shark Tank
-6.67% - 20/20
-7.14% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - Dateline NBC
-7.69% - Grimm
-11.11% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-15.38% - CSI: NY
-21.43% - Undercover Boss

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+23.08% - Shark Tank
+16.67% - 20/20
+14.29% - Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. Friday Night Lights)
-13.33% - Blue Bloods
-14.29% - Dateline NBC
-14.29% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-15.38% - Undercover Boss (vs. Flashpoint)
-23.08% - Fringe (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (Repeat))
-26.67% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)
-26.67% - CSI: NY (vs. CSI: NY)
-46.15% - Supernatural (vs. Smallville)
-69.23% - 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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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.

[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 (5/13/11):

CBS (9.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) inched its way to the top spot on Friday thanks to a new "Flashpoint" (7.51 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and the season finales of "CSI: NY" (10.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) and "Blue Bloods" (11.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1).

FOX (3.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) followed by an encore of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.23 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

Next up was The CW (2.97 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) with the series finale of "Smallville" (2.97 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), its most-watched installment since its landmark 200th episode (3.19 million on October 15).

Sharing the bronze was ABC (4.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) with the season finale of "Shark Tank" (5.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and fresh installments of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (3.71 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and "20/20" (4.37 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "Friday Night Lights" (2.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11) and "Dateline NBC" (5.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) on NBC (4.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Smallville (62.50%), Flashpoint (18.20%), Shark Tank (8.30%), Blue Bloods (0.00%), CSI: NY (0.00%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (0.00%), Kitchen Nightmares (-6.30%), Dateline NBC (-12.50%), Friday Night Lights (-12.50%), 20/20 (-29.40%).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 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; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 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" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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





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