nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, october 7, 2011)

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

CBS (9.43 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) held onto top honors on Friday with its mix of "A Gifted Man" (7.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "CSI: NY" (9.75 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1).

The silver then went to FOX (3.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with fresh installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.70 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) and "Fringe" (3.23 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5).

Next up was NBC (4.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with encores of "Up All Night" (3.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) and "Whitney" (2.93 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) followed by a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up repeats of "Modern Family" (3.43 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8), "Suburgatory" (2.93 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) and "Revenge" (2.86 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) plus a new "20/20" (3.44 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.60 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) and "Supernatural" (1.64 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) on The CW (1.62 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - Fringe
+5.56% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - A Gifted Man
0.00% - CSI: NY
0.00% - Supernatural
-6.25% - Kitchen Nightmares
-8.33% - 20/20
-12.50% - Dateline NBC
-16.67% - Nikita

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat)
+62.50% - Fringe (vs. The Good Guys)
+7.69% - Dateline NBC (vs. Dateline NBC/Outlaw)
+5.56% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-15.79% - CSI: NY
-30.00% - Supernatural
-38.89% - 20/20
-50.00% - Nikita (vs. Smallville)

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

Not yet available.

[NOTE: Today's numbers are courtesy of TVMediaInsights.com due to delays from our usual sources.]

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/8/10):

CBS (9.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the network to beat on Friday thanks to week three of "Medium" (6.10 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5), "CSI: NY" (9.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "Blue Bloods" (11.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2).

NBC (5.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home the silver with a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (6.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and a new "Outlaw" (4.23 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

Next up was ABC (3.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with repeats of "Modern Family" (3.89 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6), "The Middle" (3.03 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and "No Ordinary Family" (3.04 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) followed by a new "20/20" (5.43 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2).

Meanwhile, The CW (2.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "Smallville" (2.37 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and "Supernatural" (2.28 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

And finally, FOX (2.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) was out of the hunt with a repeat of "House" (2.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and a new "The Good Guys" (2.37 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (80.00%), Dateline NBC (23.10%), The Good Guys (14.30%), CSI: NY (11.80%), Medium (0.00%), Outlaw (0.00%), Smallville (0.00%), Supernatural (0.00%), Blue Bloods (-10.00%).

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research