nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, september 28, 2012)

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

CBS (9.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T1) was the most-watched network on a tight premiere Friday with its mix of "CSI: NY" (9.00 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) - its lowest-rated premiere ever, "Made in Jersey" (7.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Blue Bloods" (11.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) - likewise its lowest-rated premiere to date.

Sharing the demo crown was ABC (4.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T1) with a new "Shark Tank" (5.89 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2), an encore of "Last Resort" (4.01 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and a new "20/20" (4.17 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Next up was NBC (4.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a repeat of "Grimm" (2.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11) followed by originals from "Grimm" (5.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) and "Dateline NBC" (4.79 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up a repeat of "The X Factor" (3.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) plus the return of "Fringe" (3.18 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.18 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) and a repeat of "Nikita" (0.63 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
30.00% - Dateline NBC
14.29% - Grimm (vs. 9/3/12)
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - America's Next Top Model
-6.25% - Shark Tank

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):
+42.86% - Shark Tank (vs. Modern Family (Repeat)/Suburgatory (Repeat))
+16.67% - 20/20
+8.33% - CSI: NY (vs. A Gifted Man)
0.00% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-8.33% - Fringe
-16.67% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Nikita)
-16.67% - Blue Bloods
-18.75% - Dateline NBC
-31.25% - Made in Jersey (Vs. CSI: NY)

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," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.7/6; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· 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" (1.3/4). 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/30/11):

CBS (9.75 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) edged out the competition on Friday with week two of "A Gifted Man" (8.14 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5), "CSI: NY" (9.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1).

NBC (5.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) and FOX (3.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) then shared the silver as the latter offered up new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Fringe" (3.14 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

The Peacock then served up repeats of "Up All Night" (2.93 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12) and "Whitney" (2.81 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) followed by a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (6.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) likewise put up repeats of "Modern Family" (3.84 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "Suburgatory" (3.44 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10), "Pan Am" (4.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and a new "20/20" (4.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

And finally, fresh installments of "Nikita" (1.78 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and "Supernatural" (1.77 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) on The CW (1.78 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
0.00% - Nikita
-10.00% - Blue Bloods
-11.11% - CSI: NY
-12.50% - Supernatural
-14.29% - A Gifted Man
-20.00% - Dateline NBC
-20.00% - Fringe

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat))
+71.43% - Fringe (vs. The Good Guys)
+39.13% - Dateline NBC (vs. Dateline NBC/Outlaw)
+20.00% - 20/20
0.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-5.88% - CSI: NY
-10.00% - Blue Bloods
-30.00% - Supernatural
-40.00% - 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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/7; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.8/4; 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" (1.3/4). 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 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