nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, october 12, 2012)

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

ABC (5.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the top demo draw on Friday thanks to its mix of "Shark Tank" (6.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1), "Primetime: Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.67 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "20/20" (4.67 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3).

CBS (9.16 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) then got a boost from its "Made in Jersey"-less lineup of an "NCIS" (7.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8) repeat followed by the relocated "CSI: NY" (9.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) and a new "Blue Bloods" (10.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3).

Next up was NBC (4.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) with an encore of "The Voice" (3.51 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) alongside originals from "Grimm" (4.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.72 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up a repeat of "The X Factor" (2.42 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and a new "Fringe" (2.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

And finally, rebroadcasts of "Arrow" (2.02 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.42 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) on The CW (1.72 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Blue Bloods
+16.67% - CSI: NY
+16.67% - 20/20
5.88% - Shark Tank
0.00% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Fringe
-6.25% - Grimm
-7.14% - Primetime: Who Do You Think You Are?

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+38.46% - Shark Tank (vs. Last Man Standing (Repeat))
+16.67% - 20/20
+8.33% - Primetime: Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. Modern Family (Repeat)/Suburgatory (Repeat))
0.00% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-13.33% - Dateline NBC
-16.67% - Fringe
-17.65% - Blue Bloods
-17.65% - 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," 2.7/6; 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," 0.8/3; "Late Show," 0.6/2; "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" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* 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.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/14/11):

CBS (9.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) held onto to the top spot on Friday with new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (7.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), "CSI: NY" (10.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) and "Blue Bloods" (10.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1).

FOX (3.39 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.60 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) and "Fringe" (3.14 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was NBC (4.37 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) with encores of "The Office" (2.10 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) and "Parks & Recreation" (1.55 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) followed by a new two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) likewise offered up repeats of "Last Man Standing" (4.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), "Modern Family" (3.69 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "Suburgatory" (3.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) plus a new "20/20" (4.74 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.67 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.61 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) on The CW (1.64 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Nikita
+9.09% - 20/20
+8.33% - A Gifted Man
+7.14% - Dateline NBC
+6.25% - CSI: NY
0.00% - Supernatural
-6.67% - Kitchen Nightmares
-7.69% - Fringe
-10.53% - Blue Bloods

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat))
+50.00% - Fringe (vs. The Good Guys)
+25.00% - Dateline NBC
+8.33% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
0.00% - CSI: NY
0.00% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - 20/20
-41.67% - Supernatural
-53.85% - 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," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.3/2 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" (1.2/4). 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 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research