nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, october 1, 2010)

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

CBS (8.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was once again the network to beat on Friday with week two of "Medium" (5.93 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5), "CSI: NY" (9.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

NBC (5.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then snagged second place with a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (6.16 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and a new "Outlaw" (4.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

Next up was ABC (4.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with encores of "Modern Family" (3.98 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), "The Middle" (3.18 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11), "No Ordinary Family" (4.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and a new "20/20" (4.54 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

Meanwhile, The CW (2.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Smallville" (2.36 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and "Supernatural" (2.35 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

And finally, FOX (2.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) was out of the hunt with a repeat of "House" (2.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) and a new "The Good Guys" (2.51 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Blue Bloods (-9.10%), Outlaw (-9.10%), Medium (-14.30%), CSI: NY (-15.00%), Supernatural (-16.70%), Dateline NBC (-18.80%), The Good Guys (-22.20%), Smallville (-23.10%), 20/20 (-33.30%).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.1/7) took top honors over ABC's "Nightline" (2.6/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.7/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.4/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.6/5) and "Daly" (1.0/4) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/2/09):

New episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" (7.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2), "Medium" (7.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and "NUMB3RS" (7.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T4) lifted CBS (7.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) to the top spot on Friday.

The silver then went to NBC (6.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with its mix of "Law & Order" (6.68 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #7), "Dateline NBC" (7.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "The Jay Leno Show" (5.49 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Next up was ABC (4.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with repeats of "FlashForward" (3.76 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8), "The Forgotten" (3.97 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8) and a new "20/20" (6.18 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up a new "Brothers" (2.42 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12), the return of "'Til Death" (2.29 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12) and a new "Dollhouse" (2.09 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, a new "Smallville" (2.39 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) lead into a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.43 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research