nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, february 3, 2012)

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

CBS (9.95 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) was the most-watched network on Friday with new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (8.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8), "CSI: NY" (10.16 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and "Blue Bloods" (11.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1).

Sharing the demo crown was ABC (5.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) with fresh installments of "Shark Tank" (5.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.02 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "20/20" (5.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1).

Next up was FOX (3.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) and its pairing of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and "Fringe" (3.19 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.14 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up the return of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (6.02 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) followed by new episodes of "Grimm" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (4.66 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.49 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.63 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Supernatural (vs. 1/13/12)
+14.29% - Kitchen Nightmares
+13.33% - 20/20
0.00% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Nikita (vs. 1/13/12)
-5.56% - Blue Bloods (vs. 1/13/12)
-5.88% - CSI: NY (vs. 1/13/12)
-6.25% - Shark Tank
-7.69% - A Gifted Man (vs. 1/13/12)
-8.33% - Fringe
-17.65% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-22.22% - Grimm (vs. 1/20/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+54.55% - 20/20 (vs. A Barbara Walters Special: A Matter of Life and Death)
+25.00% - Shark Tank (vs. Supernanny)
+7.69% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-5.88% - Kitchen Nightmares
-7.69% - A Gifted Man (vs. The Defenders)
-10.53% - Blue Bloods (vs. CSI: NY)
-15.38% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-20.00% - CSI: NY (vs. Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials)
-26.32% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-30.00% - Supernatural
-31.25% - Fringe
-42.11% - Dateline NBC
-50.00% - Nikita (vs. Smallville)

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; 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 1.0/4 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 (2/4/11):

CBS (9.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) was the most-watched network on Friday with the time period premiere of "The Defenders" (8.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) followed by its annual "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials" (9.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) and a new "CSI: NY" (9.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2).

NBC (8.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) then snagged the silver with the return of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (7.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) followed by a new "Dateline NBC" (8.61 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T2). "Who Do You Think You Are?" set a series record in total viewers while "Dateline NBC" headlined its highest 18-49 and total-viewer results for a Friday telecast in more than a year.

Meanwhile, FOX (4.15 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) offered up its third week of "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.01 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) and "Fringe" (4.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5).

Next up was ABC (4.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with new episodes of "Supernanny" (4.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9) and "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.59 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T6) alongside "A Barbara Walters Special: A Matter of Life and Death" (6.20 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, The CW (2.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) saw the return of "Smallville" (2.37 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Supernatural" (2.28 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): CSI: NY (11.80% vs. 1/14/11), Supernanny (9.10%), Dateline NBC (5.60%), Smallville (0.00% vs. 12/10/10), Supernatural (0.00% vs. 12/10/10), Kitchen Nightmares (0.00%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (0.00%), Fringe (-15.80%), The Defenders (-18.80% vs. 1/12/11).

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

Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.2/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.9/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/4; "Late Show," 0.9/4; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5.2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.6/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research