nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, april 1, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (9.13 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) won the tight demo race on Friday with the premiere of "Chaos" (6.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8) followed by the post-NCAA returns of "CSI: NY" (10.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) and "Blue Bloods" (10.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1). Said launch was down more than 26% from the season finale of previous time period holder "The Defenders" (9.03 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.5 on 3/11/11).

ABC (5.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home a competitive second place with a new "Shark Tank" (4.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) followed by a special two-hour "20/20" (5.61 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

Next up was NBC (5.98 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (6.01 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4) and "Dateline NBC" (5.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.85 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Fringe" (1.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9).

And finally, The CW (1.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) did the same with "Smallville" (1.23 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10) and "Supernatural" (1.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T10).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (8.90%), Who Do You Think You Are? (0.00%), Shark Tank (0.00%), Blue Bloods (-10.50% vs. 3/11/11), CSI: NY (-15.00% vs. 3/11/11), Dateline NBC (-29.20%).

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," 3.1/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 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 (4/2/10):

NBC (6.38 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) narrowly took home the adults 18-49 crown on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.90 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5) and "Dateline NBC" (6.62 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

A close silver then went to CBS (6.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with new episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" (5.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6), "Medium" (6.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) and the premiere of "Miami Medical" (7.54 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

Next up was ABC (4.24 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with the return of "Wife Swap" (3.57 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9) followed by new episodes of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (4.31 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) and "20/20" (4.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up repeats of "House" (2.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.61 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2).

And finally, a new "Smallville" (1.99 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) lead into a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12) on The CW (1.64 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research