nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, january 18, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (10.519 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) was still the network to beat on Friday with originals from "Undercover Boss" (9.454 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1), "CSI: NY" (10.605 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (11.499 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3).

ABC (5.390 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (6.660 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5), "Malibu Country" (5.838 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), a repeat of "Shark Tank" (5.540 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) and a new "20/20" (4.382 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Next up was NBC (4.621 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with repeats of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (3.677 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) and another "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (3.663 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11) plus a new two-hour "Dateline NBC" (5.097 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.208 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up the penultimate episode of "Fringe" (3.333 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) followed by the series finale of "Fringe" (3.083 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

And finally, the return of "Nikita" (1.278 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and a repeat of "Beauty and the Beast" (0.895 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.086 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Nikita" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Fringe - 9:00
+5.56% - Undercover Boss
0.00% - CSI: NY
0.00% - Nikita (vs. 12/7/12)
-6.25% - Blue Bloods
-13.33% - Last Man Standing
-14.29% - Dateline NBC
-20.00% - 20/20
-21.43% - Malibu Country

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+90.00% - Undercover Boss (vs. A Gifted Man (Repeat))
+45.45% - CSI: NY (vs. CSI: NY (Repeat))
+33.33% - Nikita (vs. Remodeled (Repeat))
+15.38% - Blue Bloods (vs. Blue Bloods (Repeat))
-9.09% - Fringe
-23.53% - Last Man Standing (vs. Shark Tank)
-25.00% - Dateline NBC (vs. Grimm/Dateline NBC)
-26.67% - Fringe - 8:00 (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)
-33.33% - 20/20
-35.29% - Malibu Country (vs. Shark Tank)

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," 2.6/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/3.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 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" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/20/12):

ABC (6.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) moved to the top spot on Friday with the return of "Shark Tank" (6.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) alongside a new "20/20" (7.20 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1).

Second place then went to NBC (5.07 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with the penultimate week of "Chuck" (3.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) followed by new episodes of "Grimm" (5.90 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) and "Dateline NBC" (5.47 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #6).

Next up was FOX (3.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "Fringe" (3.18 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Meanwhile, CBS (7.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was tops in viewers but fourth in demos with its lineup of "A Gifted Man" (6.94 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11), "CSI: NY" (7.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and "Blue Bloods" (8.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7) repeats.

And finally, encores of "Remodeled" (0.78 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12) and "Supernatural" (0.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12) on The CW (0.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - Grimm
+22.22% - Chuck
+7.69% - Dateline NBC
+5.88% - 20/20
0.00% - Fringe
-11.76% - Kitchen Nightmares

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+54.55% - Shark Tank (vs. Supernanny)
+28.57% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+20.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-5.88% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-8.33% - Chuck (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
-21.05% - Kitchen Nightmares
-42.11% - Fringe

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," 3.6/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

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," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (2.0/6 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" (0.7/4 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 0.4/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research