Fast National ratings for Friday, January 25, 2013.
On a repeat-glutted Friday night, four networks were able to claim some measure of victory, with CBS leading overall and a trio of networks splitting the night among young viewers.
The repeats helped The CW’s “Nikita” deliver its best numbers of the season, while a repeat of “The Following” outdrew last week’s “Fringe” finale for FOX.
Among adults 18-49, FOX, NBC and ABC all averaged a 1.2 rating to tie for tops in the key demographic. CBS was close behind with a 1.1 key demo rating, while The CW did a 0.4 key demo rating for Friday night.
Overall, though, CBS won comfortably with an estimated 7.44 million viewers and a 4.9 rating/8 share for Friday primetime. NBC’s 3.3/5 and 4.99 million viewers and the 3.0/5 and 4.88 million viewers followed. FOX was fourth with 3.495 million viewers and a 2.2/4, while The CW averaged 1.205 million viewers and a 0.4 key demo rating.
8 p.m. – A repeat of “Undercover Boss” started the night in first for CBS with 7.08 million viewers and a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49. ABC’s repeats of “Last Man Standing” and “Malibu Country” averaged 4.5 million viewers (more than new episodes of “Happy Endings,” if that sort of thing interests you) and finished fourth with a 0.9 key demo rating. NBC’s “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” repeat averaged 3.97 million viewers and a 1.0 key demo rating in third overall and fourth in the demo. A new “Kitchen Nightmares” drew 3.78 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating for FOX. On The CW, “Nikita” rose to 1.59 million viewers and a 0.5 key demo rating.
9 p.m. – CBS stayed in first overall with 7.43 million viewers for a repeat of “CSI: NY,” which was fourth with a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49. NBC’s “Dateline” was second with 5.175 million viewers and second with a 1.2 key demo rating. ABC’s “Shark Tank” repeat won the hour with a 1.4 key demo rating and was a close third with 5.03 million viewers. On FOX, an encore of the “Following” premiere was fourth with 3.21 million viewers and third with a 1.1 key demo rating. The CW’s encore of Monday’s “The Carrie Diaries” averaged 817,000 viewers and a 0.4 key demo rating.
10 p.m. – CBS closed its overall primetime sweep with 7.8 million viewers for a repeat of “Blue Bloods,” finished third with a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49. NBC’s “Dateline” was second with 5.82 million viewers and a 1.2 key demo rating. ABC’s “20/20” won the hour with a 1.4 key demo rating and finished third with 4.5 million viewers.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.