nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, december 14, 2012)

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

ABC (5.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) and CBS (6.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T1) shared the demo crown on Friday as the former offered up new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (6.98 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) and "Malibu Country" (6.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) alongside a repeat of "Shark Tank" (4.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and a new "20/20" (6.25 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3).

The Eye - which was also the most-watched network - then served up its holiday mix of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (6.61 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2), "Yes, Virginia" (5.91 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T3) and "Elf on a Shelf" (5.96 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) plus the "CBS News Special: Tragedy in Newtown" (5.68 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was NBC (5.19 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3), which went with its lineup of "Michael Buble Christmas Special" (4.08 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13), "Take It All" (4.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Dateline NBC" (6.76 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.08 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up originals from "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.03 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Fringe" (3.13 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

And finally, the feature "Prancer Returns" (1.54 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.54 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film delivered a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.08% - 20/20
+22.22% - Fringe
+17.65% - Dateline NBC
+7.14% - Last Man Standing
+7.14% - Malibu Country
-8.33% - Kitchen Nightmares

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+77.78% - 20/20
+53.85% - Dateline NBC
+25.00% - Last Man Standing (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+25.00% - Malibu Country (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+22.22% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown)
+20.00% - CBS News Special: Tragedy in Newtown (vs. Blue Bloods (Repeat))
0.00% - Fringe (vs. Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas/The Simpsons (Repeat))
-26.67% - Take It All (vs. Grimm)

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 4.0/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.6/2; "Nightline," 1.3/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/5.

* 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 0.9/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/16/11):

NBC (4.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) pulled off a rare Friday win thanks to a new "Chuck" (3.22 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8), the fall finale of "Grimm" (5.16 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) and a new "Dateline NBC" (6.06 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2).

ABC (4.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.76 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4), another "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) and "20/20" (3.71 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8).

Next up was FOX (3.19 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with its mix of "Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown" (3.02 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8), "Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas" (3.77 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4) and "The Simpsons" (2.95 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) encores.

Meanwhile, CBS (6.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "A Gifted Man" (5.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12), "CSI: NY" (6.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8) and "Blue Bloods" (6.66 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

And finally, repeats of "Nikita" (1.35 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) and "Supernatural" (1.16 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) on The CW (1.25 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00
-6.25% - Grimm
-10.00% - Chuck
-13.33% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00
-18.75% - Dateline NBC
-30.77% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
+7.14% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-7.14% - Dateline NBC
-10.00% - Chuck (vs. Minute to Win It)
-10.00% - 20/20

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," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; 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," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.8/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research