nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, october 26, 2012)

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

NBC (5.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the top demo draw in a tight race on Friday thanks to its mix of "Mockingbird Lane" (5.44 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3), "Grimm" (6.01 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "Dateline NBC" (4.55 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3).

ABC (6.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then was a competitive second place with its lineup of "Shark Tank" (6.75 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), "20/20: All Access Nashville with Katie Couric" (5.55 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "20/20" (5.79 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

Next up was CBS (9.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with a repeat of "NCIS" (7.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) followed by originals from "CSI: NY" (9.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5) and "Blue Bloods" (10.81 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up the return of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) followed by a new "Fringe" (2.64 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (1.14 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) and "Nikita" (0.79 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.97 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Nikita" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+35.71% - Grimm
+16.67% - CSI: NY
+15.38% - Dateline NBC
+7.69% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - 20/20
-10.00% - Shark Tank
-10.00% - Fringe (vs. 10/12/12)
-33.33% - America's Next Top Model
-33.33% - Nikita

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+80.00% - Shark Tank (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+50.00% - Mockingbird Lane (vs. Chuck)
+27.27% - CSI: NY (vs. CSI: Miami (Repeat))
+27.27% - 20/20: All Access Nashville with Katie Couric (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+16.67% - 20/20
+15.38% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Blue Bloods (vs. CSI: NY (Repeat))
-9.52% - Grimm
-33.33% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Nikita)
-71.43% - Nikita (vs. Supernatural)
-86.76% - Fringe (vs. World Series, Game 7)
-86.76% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. World Series, Game 7)

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

* An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Seth MacFarlane and musical guest Frank Ocean (4.1/10 in metered-market households), hit a two-year high for an "SNL" rebroadcast in metered-market households, delivering the show's highest rating for an encore edition since November 6, 2010 (with a telecast hosted by Jane Lynch and featuring musical guest Bruno Mars).

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.0 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49, "SNL's" top rating in the Local People Meters with a rebroadcast in eight months (since February 25, with an episode hosted by Charlie Day and featuring musical guest Maroon 5).

* Versus the same night last year, "SNL" was up 21 percent in metered-market households (4.1 vs. 3.4) and up 11 percent in the Local People Meters (2.0 vs. 1.8).

* In national ratings so far this season, original telecasts of "Saturday Night Live" are up versus one year ago by 7 percent in 18-49 rating (with a 2.9 vs. a 2.7, "most current") and up 4 percent in total viewers (7.5 million vs. 7.2 million).

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/28/11):

FOX (23.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.8, #1), as expected, ran away with the night thanks to its coverage of the "World Series, Game 7" (23.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.8, #1).

NBC (4.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then claimed a distant second place with the return of "Chuck" (3.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8) followed by the premiere of "Grimm" (6.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) and a new "Dateline NBC" (4.74 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4). "Grimm's" launch posted the largest non-sports 18-49 audience on the night by any network since last year's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC (2.8 rating).

Next up was CBS (6.89 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) with its last-minute lineup of "A Gifted Man" (5.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10), "CSI: Miami" (6.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and "CSI: NY" (7.94 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) repeats.

Meanwhile, ABC (4.50 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) offered up week two of its relocated "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.10 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8), a second "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.25 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and a new "20/20" (5.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) and "Supernatural" (1.70 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11) on The CW (1.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+30.00% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Nikita
0.00% - Supernatural
-9.09% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00
-35.29% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00
-42.86% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Chuck (vs. School Pride)
+61.54% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-25.00% - 20/20
-35.29% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-36.36% - Supernatural
-37.50% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)
-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," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 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," 0.6/2; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

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" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.8/5 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 with an encore and a 0.5/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research