nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, august 24, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (5.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) snagged top honors on Friday with its coverage of "NFL Preseason: Chicago at N.Y. Giants" (5.84 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

ABC (5.61 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home the silver with its all-repeat lineup of "Shark Tank" (4.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4), "20/20" (5.51 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) and another "20/20" (6.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2).

Next up was NBC (3.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T3) with encores of "America's Got Talent" (4.22 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and "Grimm" (3.18 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9) plus a new "Dateline NBC" (4.42 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T3) offered up second runs of "Bones" (3.36 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and another "Bones" (3.35 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

And finally, the season premiere of "America's Next Top Model" (1.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #10) and a repeat of "Nikita" (0.74 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11) on The CW (1.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. Last fall (9/14/11), "Top Model" opened to 1.91 million viewers and a 0.9 adults 18-49 rating in its old Wednesday home.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-7.69% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Nikita (Repeat))
-14.29% - 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; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

· 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" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1 with an encore).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 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 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/26/11):

CBS (6.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) rose to the top on Friday with its coverage of the "NFL Preseason: Packers/Colts" (6.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

NBC (4.61 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Friends With Benefits" (2.33 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #7) and "Dateline NBC" (5.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2).

Next up was ABC (4.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with its combination of "Shark Tank" (4.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4), "Karaoke Battle USA" (3.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and "20/20" (4.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.10 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) was out of the hunt with encores of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.69 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #6) and "Fringe" (1.51 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and "Supernatural" (1.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) on The CW (1.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Karaoke Battle USA (0.0%), 20/20 (-7.7%), Dateline NBC (-12.5%), Friends With Benefits (-33.3%).

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

Not available at press time.

Source: Nielsen Media Research