nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, december 7, 2012)

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

NBC (4.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) topped a tight demo race on Friday with a rebroadcast of "SNL Christmas" (4.40 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) and a new "Dateline NBC" (5.69 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

A close second place then went to CBS (9.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) with originals from "Undercover Boss" (7.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2), "CSI: NY" (9.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "Blue Bloods" (11.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

Next up was ABC (5.50 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (6.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "Malibu Country" (6.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) plus a repeat of "Shark Tank" (5.53 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) and a new "20/20" (4.63 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10) and "Fringe" (2.71 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11).

And finally, the fall finale of "Nikita" (1.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and a repeat of "Arrow" (0.87 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (1.03 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Nikita" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Arrow" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+54.55% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. 11/16/12)
0.00% - Fringe (vs. 11/16/12)
0.00% - Nikita
-6.67% - Malibu Country
-6.67% - CSI: NY
-6.67% - Blue Bloods
-11.11% - Undercover Boss
-12.50% - Last Man Standing
-23.53% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+125.00% - Fringe (vs. Fringe (Repeat))
+33.33% - Nikita (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
+27.27% - Malibu Country (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+27.27% - Blue Bloods (vs. Blue Bloods (Repeat))
+27.27% - Last Man Standing (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+20.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (Repeat))
6.25% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - CSI: NY (vs. Yes, Virginia/The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story)
0.00% - 20/20
-11.11% - Undercover Boss (vs. Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns)

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

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/9/11):

CBS (6.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) was Friday's most-watched network with holiday encores of "Frosty the Snowman" (7.30 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1), "Frosty Returns" (6.45 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2), "Yes, Virginia" (5.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6), "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf�s Story" (5.36 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (6.91 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

Sharing the demo crown was NBC (4.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) with new episodes of "Chuck" (3.68 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11), "Grimm" (5.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and "Dateline NBC" (5.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3).

Next up was ABC (4.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.77 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.39 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "20/20" (4.75 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up repeats of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.78 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Fringe" (1.58 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.32 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) and "Supernatural" (0.99 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) on The CW (1.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.38% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00
+11.11% - Chuck (vs. 11/18/11)
6.67% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Grimm (vs. 11/18/11)
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Dateline NBC
+14.29% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-8.33% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
-13.33% - 20/20
-16.67% - Chuck (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))

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," 3.3/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.9/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/3). 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 1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research