nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, may 3, 2013)

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

ABC (4.489 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1) was the demo champ on Friday with its mix of "Happy Endings" (2.719 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #9), the season finale of "Happy Endings" (2.130 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), "Shark Tank" (5.530 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and "20/20" (5.513 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2).

CBS (8.104 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then was the most-watched network with its lineup of "Undercover Boss" (7.194 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4), "Vegas" (7.262 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #8) and "Blue Bloods" (9.857 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3).

Next up was NBC (4.170 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its combination of "Fashion Star" (3.008 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), "Dateline NBC" (5.295 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.208 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.613 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.999 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and "Touch" (2.228 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12).

And finally, a new "Nikita" (1.206 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) and a rebroadcast of "Supernatural" (0.784 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) closed out the evening for The CW (0.995 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Nikita" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Happy Endings - 8:00
+33.33% - 20/20
+22.22% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+16.67% - Happy Endings - 8:30
+10.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
0.00% - Fashion Star
0.00% - Touch
0.00% - Nikita
-7.14% - Blue Bloods
-10.00% - Vegas
-10.53% - Shark Tank
-25.00% - Undercover Boss

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+21.43% - Shark Tank (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
+10.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. The Finder)
+6.67% - 20/20
-7.14% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - Dateline NBC (vs. Grimm)
-14.29% - Undercover Boss
-15.38% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Dateline NBC)
-22.22% - Fashion Star (vs. Who Do You Think You Are?)
-25.00% - Nikita
-30.77% - Vegas (vs. CSI: NY)
-33.33% - Touch (vs. Fringe)
-52.94% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (vs. Shark Tank)
-58.82% - 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," 2.3/5; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/5 with an encore.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/3 with an encore.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 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" (1.3/4 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" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/1 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/4/12):

ABC (5.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) pulled off a narrow victory on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.96 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.69 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) and "20/20" (5.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2).

CBS (8.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then placed a competitive second place with the penultimate weeks of "Undercover Boss" (6.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3), "CSI: NY" (8.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (10.10 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3).

Next up was NBC (4.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its combination of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.90 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10), "Grimm" (4.70 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (5.03 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) took a dip with original episodes of "The Finder" (3.96 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and "Fringe" (2.85 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.24 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.58 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+21.43% - Shark Tank
+18.18% - Dateline NBC
+16.67% - Supernatural
+7.14% - 20/20
0.00% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - Nikita
-7.14% - CSI: NY
-7.14% - Grimm
-9.09% - The Finder
-10.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-12.50% - Undercover Boss
-18.18% - Fringe

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+41.67% - Shark Tank
+27.27% - Undercover Boss (vs. Flashpoint)
+16.67% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+12.50% - Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. Friday Night Lights)
-6.67% - Blue Bloods
-11.76% - 20/20
-13.33% - CSI: NY
-18.75% - Dateline NBC
-18.75% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-22.22% - Supernatural
-25.00% - Fringe
-37.50% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)
-50.00% - 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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/4 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research