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

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (7.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) was the top draw on Friday thanks to a new "Undercover Boss" (6.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and the two-hour special "ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert" (7.68 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

ABC (5.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) however shared the demo crown with its original mix of "Shark Tank" (5.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.76 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "20/20" (5.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a repeat of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (4.73 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) followed by new episodes of "Grimm" (4.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.75 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up new episodes of "The Finder" (3.37 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) and "Fringe" (2.90 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) - both series lows.

And finally on The CW (0.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5), repeats of "Nikita" (0.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Supernatural" (0.97 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.08% - Grimm
+6.67% - Shark Tank (vs. 3/23/12)
+6.67% - 20/20
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-5.56% - Undercover Boss
-10.00% - Fringe
-12.50% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-18.18% - The Finder

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+88.89% - Undercover Boss (vs. Chaos)
+33.33% - ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends - In Concert (vs. CSI: NY (Repeat)/Blue Bloods (Repeat))
+14.29% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+6.67% - Shark Tank
+6.67% - 20/20
0.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-21.43% - Dateline NBC
-30.77% - Fringe
-40.00% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)

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," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-4) 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 0.4/3 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 (4/15/11):

ABC (4.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) took the demo crown on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) and "20/20" (5.09 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1).

FOX (3.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then snagged the silver with the return of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.80 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) and "Fringe" (3.63 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6).

Next up was NBC (4.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with the season premiere of "Friday Night Lights" (3.51 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and a new two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.90 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up week three of "Chaos" (5.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) alongside repeats of "CSI: NY" (7.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7) an d"Blue Bloods" (7.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8).

And finally, the return of "Smallville" (2.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8) and "Supernatural" (2.20 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) on The CW (2.27 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Shark Tank (25.00%), 20/20 (0.00%), Kitchen Nightmares (0.00% vs. 3/25/11), Dateline NBC (0.00%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (0.00%), Smallville (0.00%), Chaos (0.00%), Supernatural (-10.00%), Fringe (-13.30% vs. 3/25/11).

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," 3.3/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6; 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," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.7/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research