nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, january 13, 2012)

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

CBS (10.34 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1) continued its Friday reign with new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (8.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8), "CSI: NY" (10.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1).

ABC (5.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1) however shared the demo crown with a new "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.97 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) followed by the series finale of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (6.45 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and a new "20/20" (5.56 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2).

Next up was FOX (3.34 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with the return of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.80 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T2) and "Fringe" (2.89 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Chuck" (3.24 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11), "Grimm" (4.62 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (5.18 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.45 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.55 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.50 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+30.77% - 20/20
+30.77% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. 11/18/11)
+6.25% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00
0.00% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00
0.00% - Fringe (vs. 11/18/11)
-5.56% - CSI: NY
-6.67% - Grimm (vs. 12/16/11)
-7.14% - Dateline NBC
-10.00% - Chuck
-13.33% - A Gifted Man
-16.67% - Nikita
-25.00% - Supernatural

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+30.77% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Human Target)
+28.57% - Blue Bloods (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))
+21.43% - 20/20
+16.67% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
+13.33% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
0.00% - CSI: NY
0.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
0.00% - Supernatural (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
-6.67% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-8.33% - Fringe (vs. Human Target)
-13.33% - Dateline NBC
-25.00% - Chuck (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
-28.57% - Nikita (vs. Smallville (Repeat))

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," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4 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," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/5 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" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

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

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/14/11):

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)

Source: Nielsen Media Research