nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, january 14, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (8.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) pulled off a slim victory on Friday with the penultimate week of "Medium" (6.64 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6), a new "CSI: NY" (9.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and a repeat of "The Mentalist" (8.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4).

NBC (5.11 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then claimed a close second place with it mix of "Minute to Win It" (4.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.39 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

Next up was ABC (5.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Supernanny" (4.57 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.97 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) and "20/20" (5.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up the relocated "Human Target" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and a second "Human Target" (4.77 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "Smallville" (1.74 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11) and "Supernatural" (1.40 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Dateline NBC (15.40%), CSI: NY (6.30%), Medium (-7.10%), Supernanny (-7.70%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (-11.80%), 20/20 (-17.60%).

In late-night metered market ratings (adults 18-49):
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" 3.5/8 (1.2)
"Nightline" 2.9/6 (1.0)
"Late Show with David Letterman" 2.8/6 (0.8)
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" 1.6/5 (0.8)
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" 1.6/4 (0.6)
"Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" 1.4/4 (0.4)
"Last Call with Carson Daly" 1.0/4 (0.5)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/15/10):

CBS (9.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) remained untouched on Friday thanks to its usual mix of "Ghost Whisperer" (8.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1), "Medium" (9.01 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) and "NUMB3RS" (9.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1).

The silver then went to NBC (6.84 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) with its combination of "Law & Order" (7.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8), "Dateline NBC" (7.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) and "The Jay Leno Show" (5.45 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8).

Sharing second place was ABC (5.08 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) with its lineup of "Supernanny" (5.39 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T5), "Shark Tank" (4.44 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T5) and "20/20" (5.41 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up a repeat of "Bones" (3.88 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) and a new "Dollhouse" (2.09 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11).

And finally, repeats of "Smallville" (1.19 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and another "Smallville" (1.29 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) on The CW (1.24 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research