nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, january 27, 2012)

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

ABC (5.45 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) took home top demo honors with week two of "Shark Tank" (5.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and "20/20" (5.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

FOX (3.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) and "Fringe" (3.37 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7).

Next up was NBC (4.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a new "Chuck" (4.12 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) followed by the series finale of "Chuck" (4.32 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and a new "Dateline NBC" (4.50 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9). The latter numbers for "Chuck" marked season highs in 18-49 and total viewers

Meanwhile, CBS (7.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) served up repeats of "A Gifted Man" (6.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11), "CSI: NY" (7.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) and "Blue Bloods" (8.13 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.19 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T12) and "Supernatural" (1.09 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T12) on The CW (1.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - Fringe
+9.09% - Chuck - 8:00
+6.25% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-5.88% - Shark Tank
-6.67% - Kitchen Nightmares
-16.67% - 20/20
-21.43% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+77.78% - Shark Tank (vs. Supernanny (Repeat))
+30.77% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
0.00% - Chuck - 8:00 (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
-11.76% - 20/20
-17.65% - Kitchen Nightmares
-27.78% - Chuck - 9:00 (vs. Dateline NBC)
-36.84% - Fringe
-38.89% - Dateline NBC

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," 2.8/7 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4.

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

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 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 (1/28/11):

FOX (4.31 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) was the top demo draw for the second week in a row on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.05 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) and "Fringe" (4.57 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1).

Second place then went to NBC (6.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) with a repeat of "Minute to Win It" (4.31 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) followed by a new two-hour "Dateline NBC" (7.31 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2).

Next up was ABC (4.67 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with a repeat of "Supernanny" (3.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) followed by new episodes of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.56 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "20/20" (5.92 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (7.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9), "CSI: NY" (8.17 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

And finally, encores of last night's "The Vampire Diaries" (1.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11) and "Nikita" (1.06 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) on The CW (1.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Dateline NBC (28.60%), 20/20 (13.30%), Fringe (0.00%), Kitchen Nightmares (-10.50%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (-23.50%).

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," 2.2/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research