nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, march 29, 2013)

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

CBS (6.398 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) took home top honors on Friday with its coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Oregon vs. Louisville" (6.435 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.348 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State vs. Duke" (7.368 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

ABC (4.885 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then claimed a distant second place with the relocated "Happy Endings" (3.104 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7), another "Happy Endings" (2.377 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11) plus new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.983 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and "20/20" (5.931 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Next up was NBC (3.988 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with originals from "Fashion Star" (3.025 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T9), "Grimm" (4.778 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.162 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.494 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up a repeat of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.575 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) plus a new "Touch" (2.413 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12).

And finally, fresh installments of "Nikita" (1.288 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Cult" (0.605 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.947 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+14.29% - Fashion Star
0.00% - Cult
-7.14% - Grimm
-11.11% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-12.50% - 20/20
-15.00% - Shark Tank (vs. 3/8/13)
-20.00% - Nikita (vs. 3/15/13)
-25.00% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (vs. 1/29/13)
-28.57% - Touch
-46.15% - Happy Endings - 8:30 (vs. 1/29/13)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State vs. Duke (vs. Blue Bloods)
+13.33% - Shark Tank (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
+9.83% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Oregon vs. Louisville (vs. Undercover Boss/CSI: NY)
+8.33% - Grimm
0.00% - Fashion Star (vs. Who Do You Think You Are?)
0.00% - Nikita
-18.75% - NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update (vs. CSI: NY)
-25.00% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))
-33.33% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Dateline NBC)
-33.33% - 20/20
-41.67% - Happy Endings - 8:30 (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))
-58.33% - Touch (vs. Fringe)
-71.43% - Cult (vs. Supernatural)

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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.7/5 with an encore delayed by basketball; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.5/3 with an encore delayed by basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/7 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3 with an encore delayed by basketball). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore delayed by basketball).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 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 (3/30/12):

CBS (9.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) edged out the competition on Friday thanks to a new "Undercover Boss" (8.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), the return of "CSI: NY" (9.44 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and a new "Blue Bloods" (10.60 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3).

ABC (5.58 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) then was a close second place with a repeat of "Shark Tank" (4.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) followed by new episodes of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.02 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5) and "20/20" (6.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) - a season high.

Next up was FOX (3.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with the season finale of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.90 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) alongside a new "Fringe" (3.11 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up originals of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Grimm" (4.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Dateline NBC" (4.58 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6).

And finally on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5), new episodes of "Nikita" (1.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.72 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Fringe
+33.33% - Dateline NBC
+31.25% - 20/20
+20.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
+16.67% - Supernatural
-5.88% - CSI: NY (vs. 2/10/12)
-6.25% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-11.11% - Blue Bloods (vs. 3/9/12)
-18.18% - Undercover Boss (vs. 3/9/12)
-20.00% - Who Do You Think You Are?
-20.00% - Nikita
-20.00% - Grimm (vs. 3/9/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+71.43% - Fringe (vs. Fringe (Repeat))
+63.64% - Undercover Boss (vs. Chaos)
+40.00% - 20/20
+40.00% - Supernatural (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Kitchen Nightmares (Repeat))
0.00% - Primetime: What Would You Do? (vs. 20/20)
-5.88% - CSI: NY
-5.88% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-7.69% - Dateline NBC
-20.00% - Nikita (vs. Smallville (Repeat))
-38.46% - Who Do You Think You Are?

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," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 4.0/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.4/6; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-4) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research