nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, november 18, 2011)

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

CBS (10.12 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was still the network to beat on Friday with new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (8.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7), "CSI: NY" (9.93 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and the night's top draw "Blue Bloods" (12.23 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

Second place then went to ABC (5.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) with its mix of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.67 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9), a second "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4) and "20/20" (4.99 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6).

Sharing the silver was NBC (4.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) and its combination of "Chuck" (3.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11), "Grimm" (5.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Dateline NBC" (5.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.16 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its fall finales for "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.45 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7) and "Fringe" (2.87 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.81 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00
+17.65% - Blue Bloods
+8.33% - A Gifted Man
+7.14% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. 11/4/11)
+7.14% - Dateline NBC
+6.67% - Grimm
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Fringe
0.00% - Chuck
0.00% - Nikita
-5.88% - CSI: NY
-12.50% - Supernatural
-18.75% - Kitchen Nightmares

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. Harmony)
+57.14% - Fringe (vs. The Good Guys)
+50.00% - Chuck (vs. School Pride)
+33.33% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+25.00% - Blue Bloods
+18.18% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat))
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
0.00% - CSI: NY
-6.25% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-7.14% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-22.22% - Supernatural
-30.00% - 20/20
-45.45% - Nikita (vs. Smallville)

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

Coming Monday.

[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 (11/19/10):

ABC (5.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) dethroned CBS (9.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Supernanny" (4.13 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "20/20" (6.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

The Eye then had to settle for second place with its combination of "Medium" (7.34 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5), "CSI: NY" (10.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.31 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2).

Next up was The CW (2.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with new episodes of "Smallville" (2.60 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Supernatural" (2.03 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T4) offered up the penultimate week of "School Pride" (2.54 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) followed by an abbreviated "Dateline NBC" (5.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6) and the documentary "Harmony" (3.71 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, a repeat of "House" (3.37 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) led into a new "The Good Guys" (2.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on FOX (3.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T4).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 20/20 (25.00%), Supernatural (0.00%), School Pride (0.00%), The Good Guys (0.00%), Medium (0.00%), Blue Bloods (0.00%), CSI: NY (-5.90%), Supernanny (-8.30%), Dateline NBC (-14.30%), Smallville (-15.40%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (-15.80%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.1/7) took top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (2.5/6) and NBC's "Leno" (2.9/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.5/5) and "Daly" (0.9/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research