Friday's TONIGHT Feat. Justin Timberlake Climbs in the Ratings

"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" has concluded a week of post-Olympic viewer sampling with its highest ratings since Monday's series premiere. In metered-market households, Friday's 11:30 p.m. ET edition of "Tonight," featuring guest Justin Timberlake, grew versus the prior night's midnight telecast by 15% in metered-market households.

The Feb. 21 edition of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" averaged a 6.1 rating, 15 share in household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research, as "Tonight" continued to attract strong sampling through Fallon's premiere week. That's a 15% gain versus Thursday's 5.3 rating and a 17% increase versus Wednesday's 5.2.

While ratings drop-offs are common through late-night premiere weeks, Fallon has essentially held steady or grown through much of his "Tonight" debut week. The five-day track for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in metered-market households was: 7.1, 5.3, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1.

Friday's 6.1 in metered-market households is up 110% versus the show's 2.9 season-to-date average (L+SD). Note that "Tonight" has been delivering one of its strongest seasons in years and was up 7% season to date in metered-market households through Feb. 9 (2.9 vs. 2.7).

Friday's "Tonight" topped the combined rating of CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" (2.1/5) and ABC's encore telecast of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.9/4) by 53% (6.1 vs. a combined 4.0).

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, the Feb. 21 11:30 edition of "Tonight" averaged a 3.0/13, in adults 18-49, an increase versus the prior night's midnight telecast in the Local People Meters of 25% (3.0 vs. 2.4) and a gain on the night before that of 36% (3.0 vs. 2.2). As with results in metered-market households, the LPM 18-49 ratings have been essentially even or up through much of Fallon's debut week, with this track since Monday's premiere: 3.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.4, 3.0.

In the Local People Meters, "Tonight" tripled the combined results of CBS's "Late Show" (0.4/2) and ABC's "Kimmel" encore (0.6/2).

Detailed Results in Late-Night Metered Markets Friday night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 6.1 rating, 15 share at 11:30 p.m. ET; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5, and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "Tonight," 3.0/13; "Late Show," 0.4/2, and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/2 with an encore.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 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, CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.

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