nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, april 12, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (8.183 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1) was the most-watched network on Friday with its original lineup of "Undercover Boss" (7.301 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2), "Vegas" (7.003 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (10.246 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3).

ABC (4.318 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1) however shared the demo crown with its mix of "Happy Endings" (2.762 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6), another "Happy Endings" (2.104 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12), a repeat of "Shark Tank" (5.107 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and a new "20/20" (5.414 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1).

Next up was NBC (2.833 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) with a new "Fashion Star" (2.907 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) followed by a repeat of "Grimm" (2.532 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.062 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.311 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) offered up repeats of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.078 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) and a second hour of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.544 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5).

And finally, a new "Nikita" (1.323 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and a rebroadcast of "The Carrie Diaries" (0.588 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) closed out the evening on The CW (0.955 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Nikita" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Carrie" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
33.33% - Fashion Star
33.33% - Nikita
14.29% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-7.14% - Blue Bloods
-11.11% - Vegas
-12.50% - Undercover Boss
-16.67% - 20/20
-27.27% - Happy Endings - 8:00
-40.00% - Happy Endings - 8:30

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Nikita
-6.25% - 20/20
-7.14% - Blue Bloods (vs. ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert)
-11.11% - Fashion Star (vs. Who Do You Think You Are? (Repeat))
-17.65% - Undercover Boss
-27.27% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Dateline NBC)
-42.86% - Vegas (vs. ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert)
-50.00% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (vs. Shark Tank)
-62.50% - Happy Endings - 8:30 (vs. Shark Tank)

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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.6/4 with an encore delayed by golf; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by golf; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/3 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3 delayed by golf). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 delayed by golf).

* 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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/13/12):

CBS (7.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) was the top draw on Friday thanks to a new "Undercover Boss" (6.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and the two-hour special "ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert" (7.68 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

ABC (5.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) however shared the demo crown with its original mix of "Shark Tank" (5.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.76 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "20/20" (5.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a repeat of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) followed by new episodes of "Grimm" (4.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.75 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up new episodes of "The Finder" (3.37 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) and "Fringe" (2.90 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) - both series lows.

And finally on The CW (0.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5), repeats of "Nikita" (0.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Supernatural" (0.97 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.08% - Grimm
+6.67% - Shark Tank (vs. 3/23/12)
+6.67% - 20/20
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-5.56% - Undercover Boss
-10.00% - Fringe
-12.50% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-18.18% - The Finder

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+88.89% - Undercover Boss (vs. Chaos)
+33.33% - ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert (vs. CSI: NY (Repeat)/Blue Bloods (Repeat))
+14.29% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+6.67% - Shark Tank
+6.67% - 20/20
0.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-21.43% - Dateline NBC
-30.77% - Fringe
-40.00% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)

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," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 in metered-market household) 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 18-4) 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Source: Nielsen Media Research