nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, april 26, 2013)

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

CBS (8.821 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1) claimed top honors on Friday thanks to new episodes of "Undercover Boss" (8.742 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2), "Vegas" (7.360 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and "Blue Bloods" (10.361 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

ABC (4.322 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then had to settle for second place with originals from "Happy Endings" (2.224 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12), another "Happy Endings" (1.794 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10), "Shark Tank" (6.399 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "20/20" (4.557 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

Next up was NBC (3.863 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its mix of "Fashion Star" (2.916 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9), "Grimm" (4.856 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.819 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.635 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up the return of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.956 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) and "Touch" (2.315 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10).

And finally, a new "Nikita" (1.176 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) and a rebroadcast of "Oh Sit!" (0.796 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) on The CW (0.986 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Nikita" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Sit" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Vegas (vs. 4/12/13)
+14.29% - Undercover Boss (vs. 4/12/13)
+7.69% - Blue Bloods (vs. 4/12/13)
0.00% - Touch (vs. 4/5/13)
0.00% - Happy Endings - 8:30 (vs. 4/12/13)
-9.09% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. 3/15/13)
-9.52% - Shark Tank (vs. 4/5/13)
-12.50% - Fashion Star (vs. 4/12/13)
-13.33% - Grimm (vs. 4/5/13)
-25.00% - Nikita (vs. 4/12/13)
-33.33% - 20/20
-37.50% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (vs. 4/12/13)
-57.14% - Rock Center With Brian Williams

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+72.73% - Shark Tank (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
0.00% - Undercover Boss
0.00% - Blue Bloods
-7.14% - Grimm
-9.09% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. The Finder)
-14.29% - 20/20
-18.18% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-25.00% - Nikita
-28.57% - Vegas (vs. CSI: NY)
-30.00% - Fashion Star (vs. Who Do You Think You Are?)
-45.45% - Touch (vs. Fringe)
-57.14% - Happy Endings - 8:30 (vs. Shark Tank)
-64.29% - Happy Endings - 8:00 (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," 2.6/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5 with an encore.

* 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," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4 with an encore.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/3). 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 0.8/3 in metered-market households 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 (4/27/12):

CBS (8.78 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on Friday with original episodes of "Undercover Boss" (7.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1), "CSI: NY" (8.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) and "Blue Bloods" (10.21 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2).

The silver then went to ABC (4.80 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) with new episodes of "Shark Tank" (5.41 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.04 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "20/20" (4.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and its combination of "Who Do You Think You Are?" (5.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11), "Grimm" (4.49 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.09 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up fresh installments of "The Finder" (3.94 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Fringe" (3.14 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.32 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.53 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. 4/6/12)
+10.00% - Fringe
+7.69% - 20/20
+7.69% - Grimm
0.00% - Supernatural
0.00% - Nikita
-5.88% - Undercover Boss (vs. 4/13/12)
-8.33% - The Finder
-12.50% - CSI: NY (vs. 4/6/12)
-12.50% - Shark Tank (vs. 4/13/12)
-15.38% - Primetime: What Would You Do?
-17.65% - Blue Bloods (vs. 4/6/12)
-21.43% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Who Do You Think You Are? (vs. Friday Night Lights)
+16.67% - Shark Tank
+16.67% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
-5.88% - Undercover Boss (vs. The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty)
-6.67% - 20/20 (vs. 20/20: A Modern Fairy Tale)
-8.33% - Dateline NBC
-12.50% - Blue Bloods
-15.38% - The Finder (vs. Kitchen Nightmares)
-15.38% - Fringe
-17.65% - CSI: NY
-26.67% - Primetime: What Would You Do? (vs. 20/20: A Modern Fairy Tale)
-33.33% - Supernatural
-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," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

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; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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