nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, february 4, 2011)

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

CBS (9.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) was the most-watched network on Friday with the time period premiere of "The Defenders" (8.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) followed by its annual "Super Bow's Greatest Commercials" (9.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) and a new "CSI: NY" (9.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2).

NBC (8.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) then snagged the silver with the return of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (7.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) followed by a new "Dateline NBC" (8.61 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2). "Who Do You Think You Are?" set a series record in total viewers while "Dateline NBC" headlined its highest 18-49 and total-viewer results for a Friday telecast in more than a year.

Meanwhile, FOX (4.15 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) offered up its third week of "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.01 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) and "Fringe" (4.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5).

Next up was ABC (4.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with new episodes of "Supernanny" (4.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9) and "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.59 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) alongside "A Barbara Walters Special: A Matter of Life and Death" (6.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, The CW (2.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) saw the return of "Smallville" (2.37 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Supernatural" (2.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): CSI: NY (11.80% vs. 1/14/11), Supernanny (9.10%), Dateline NBC (5.60%), Smallville (0.00% vs. 12/10/10), Supernatural (0.00% vs. 12/10/10), Kitchen Nightmares (0.00%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (0.00%), Fringe (-15.80%), The Defenders (-18.80% vs. 1/12/11).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.2/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/4; "Late Show," 0.9/4; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5.2.

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" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.6/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.5/3 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 (2/5/10):

New episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" (8.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1), "Medium" (9.10 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) and "NUMB3RS" (9.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) powered CBS (9.01 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) to victory on Friday.

The silver then went to ABC (6.23 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) with a new "Supernanny" (5.39 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6), the season finale of "Shark Tank" (4.66 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) and a new "20/20" (8.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4).

Next up was FOX (3.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with a repeat of "House" (3.85 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) and a new "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up its mix of "Law & Order" (5.64 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12), "Dateline NBC" (6.49 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and "The Jay Leno Show" (4.46 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11).

And finally, a new "Smallville" (2.60 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12) lead into another new "Smallville" (2.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T9) on The CW (2.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research