nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, february 10, 2012)

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

CBS (10.31 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) remained the network to beat on Friday with a new "A Gifted Man" (8.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), the winter finale of "CSI: NY" (10.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and a new "Blue Bloods" (11.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1).

A competitive ABC (5.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then snagged the silver with fresh installments of "Shark Tank" (5.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.62 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) and "20/20" (5.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

Next up was NBC (5.32 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) and its lineup of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.53 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9), "Grimm" (5.24 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and "Dateline NBC" (5.18 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) served up original installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.56 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) and "Fringe" (3.03 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.45 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.85 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+36.36% - Dateline NBC
+20.00% - Shark Tank
+14.29% - Grimm
+9.09% - Who Do You Think You Are?
+7.14% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
+6.25% - CSI: NY
+5.88% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - A Gifted Man
0.00% - Fringe
0.00% - Supernatural
0.00% - Nikita
-6.25% - Kitchen Nightmares
-17.65% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+80.00% - Shark Tank (vs. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown/A Charlie Brown Valentine (Repeat))
+50.00% - Blue Bloods (vs. Blue Bloods (Repeat))
+14.29% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+13.33% - CSI: NY
+9.09% - A Gifted Man (vs. The Defenders)
+7.14% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
-6.25% - Primetime: What Would You Do? (vs. 20/20)
-12.50% - 20/20
-14.29% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-21.43% - Fringe
-22.22% - Supernatural
-44.44% - 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," 3.1/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

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; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2.

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 (2/11/11):

CBS (8.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) was the most-watched network on Friday with new episodes of "The Defenders" (7.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8) and "CSI: NY" (9.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) followed by a repeat of "Blue Bloods" (7.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #7).

NBC (6.00 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) however was one of three networks to split the demo crown with week two of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (6.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) and a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.70 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4). "Who" once again hit a series high among adults 18-49.

Next up was ABC (5.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) with repeats of "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" (4.08 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) and "A Charlie Brown Valentine" (3.64 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9) followed by a special two-hour "20/20" (6.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T1) offered up new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.72 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T2) and "Fringe" (3.71 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4).

And finally, fresh installments of "Smallville" (2.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) and "Supernatural" (1.96 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) on The CW (2.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Who Do You Think You Are? (7.70%), 20/20 (-5.90% vs. 1/28/11), Smallville (-10.00%), Supernatural (-10.00%), Kitchen Nightmares (-11.80%), Fringe (-12.50%), The Defenders (-15.40%), CSI: NY (-21.10%), Dateline NBC (-26.30%).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/4 with an encore delayed by an extended "Nightline."

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by an extended "Nightline."

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research