nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, march 1, 2013)

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

ABC (6.171 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the network to beat on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (7.069 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2), "Malibu Country" (6.138 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4), "Shark Tank" (6.572 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "20/20" (5.338 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

NBC (5.345 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then took home the silver with a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.894 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.247 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8).

Next up was FOX (3.099 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with originals from "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.287 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "Touch" (2.913 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.122 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) fell behind with its all-repeat lineup of "Undercover Boss" (5.588 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7), "Blue Bloods" (5.786 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10) and a second "Blue Bloods" (6.994 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8).

And finally, a new "Nikita" (1.062 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.560 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.811 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #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 "Diaries" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Malibu Country
+23.08% - Last Man Standing
+18.18% - Kitchen Nightmares
+14.29% - Touch
+7.14% - 20/20
+5.56% - Shark Tank
0.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
0.00% - Nikita
-7.14% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+18.18% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (Repeat))
+11.76% - Shark Tank (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
0.00% - Nikita (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
-5.88% - Last Man Standing (vs. Shark Tank)
-6.25% - 20/20
-17.65% - Malibu Country (vs. Shark Tank)
-18.75% - Dateline NBC (vs. Who Do You Think You Are?/Grimm)
-23.08% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Dateline NBC)
-27.27% - Touch (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.1/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/2/12):

ABC (5.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) and CBS (10.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) split the adults 18-49 crown on Friday as the latter offered up its mix of "Shark Tank" (6.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "20/20" (5.66 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6).

The Eye was also the most-watched network with a new "Undercover Boss" (9.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1), the season finale of "A Gifted Man" (9.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) and a new "Blue Bloods" (11.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2).

Next up was NBC (5.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with fresh installments of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (7.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7) - its highest 18-49 rating since March 26, 2010 and a series high in total viewers, "Grimm" (5.58 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.23 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.77 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up a two-hour block of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.77 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) repeats.

And finally, encores of "Nikita" (0.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T11) and "Supernatural" (1.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T11) on The CW (0.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
+33.33% - 20/20
+21.43% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+13.33% - Grimm
+7.69% - A Gifted Man
+5.26% - Undercover Boss
0.00% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-5.56% - Shark Tank

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+88.89% - Shark Tank (vs. Supernanny)
+54.55% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+33.33% - 20/20
+33.33% - Undercover Boss (vs. The Defenders)
+25.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
+21.43% - Blue Bloods (vs. Blue Bloods (Repeat))
0.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. CSI: NY (Repeat))
-5.56% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-27.78% - Dateline NBC

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," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: �The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,� 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research